Tank Leads All the Way in $100,000 FHBPA Turf Win

Souper Zonda Popular Winner of FHBPA Filly & Mare Turf

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Arindel’s 4-year-old homebred colt Tank, a multiple open stakes winner that is also a head shy of Grade 1 placing, snapped a seven-race winless streak with his front-running one-length score in Saturday’s $100,000 FHBPA Turf at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 1/16-mile Turf and one-mile Filly & Mare Turf, both for older horses going around two turns, were among six Florida-bred stakes worth $600,000 headlining the 11-race program.

Ridden by Samy Camacho for trainer Carlos David, Tank ($7.60) covered a firm course in 1:38.94 to earn his fifth career victory, fourth in a stakes, and first since the 1 1/16-mile Not Surprising last June on the Gulfstream turf to cap a three-race win streak.

Tank broke alertly and outran Tapit Kissit Winit for the early lead while racing in the three path just outside the 19-1 longshot, going the opening quarter-mile in 22.89 seconds. The half went in 46.43 when fellow multiple stakes winner Private Thoughts, the 6-5 favorite that had been tracking in third, moved up to a striking position in second. Adios Cole followed that move on the far outside to get into third.

Camacho and Tank straightened home in front and, while Private Thoughts began to level off, Adios Cole launched a strong move down the center of the stretch but came up short as Tank drifted out inside the sixteenth pole. An objection by Adios Cole’s trainer, Sam Wilensky, was dismissed.

“I used him a little bit in the early part of the race when I got [Tapit Kissit Winit] inside, because I want to take the lead by myself. I don’t want to go head-to-head with anybody,” Camacho said. “As soon as I take the lead I sat back and tried to control the pace. After that, I just waited for the competition to put some pressure on me.

“When [Private Thoughts] came to me I just smooched to my horse and he took off. I was a little bit worried when [Adios Cole] came up on the outside. My horse drifted out a little bit in the last part of the race but thank God and all the connections he was able to win,” he added. “He always tries, this horse.”

Adios Cole was a clear second, two lengths ahead of Junction Road in third followed by Tapit Kissit Winit, Private Thoughts, Brawn and Classic Mo Town. Scarecrow, Tank’s stakes-placed stablemate, was scratched.

Out of the Brethren mare Vegas, Tank had run third in three of his prior four starts – the Tropical Park Derby Dec. 13 and the Jan. 13 Sunshine Turf, both at Gulfstream, and March 29 Turf Classic at Tampa Bay Downs, the latter two against state-breds. He improved his overall record to 5-2-4 from 18 starts with $388,270 in purse earnings.

Souper Zonda Popular Winner of FHBPA Filly & Mare Turf

Live Oak Plantation homebred Souper Zonda ranged up on longshot leader Miss Mary Nell in mid-stretch to claim the lead and crossed the wire clear of late-running Dreaming of Abba to win Saturday’s $100,000 FHBPA Filly & Mare Turf.

It was the second stakes win of the day for jockey Sonny Leon, who earlier captured the $100,000 FHBPA Sophomore Sprint in an 8-1 upset with My Boy Star. Souper Zonda covered one mile over a firm course in 1:33.19.

Souper Zonda ($5.60), favored at 9-5 from outermost Post 9, settled in third as Nina’s Last Gift took the field through a quarter-mile in 22.51 seconds pressed to her outside by Miss Mary Nell, sent off at 40-1. Nina’s Last Gift clung to a short lead rounding the far turn but was passed by Miss Mary Nell at the top of the lane with Souper Zonda, tipped off the rail approaching the stretch, looming a threat on the outside.

Leon and Souper Zonda continued to gain ground on a stubborn Miss Mary Nell before surging late for her second straight stakes win following the March 29 Distaff Turf at Tampa Bay Downs. Dreaming of Abba, fourth in the Distaff Turf, nailed Miss Mary Nell by a nose on the wire for second.

Ashima made a belated run to get fourth over Notable Exchange, with Sheshimaintenance, Charlie’s Wish, Lets Go Koko and Nina’s Last Gift completing the order of finish.

A 4-year-old chestnut daughter of two-time Horse of the Year and 2014 Hall of Famer Curlin, Souper Zonda improved her overall record to five wins from 10 starts. She is 3-for-4 over the Gulfstream turf, graduating in her July 2024 debut and winning the Jan. 10 Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf in her season debut.