Unbeaten G2 Winner She Be Smooth Tops Seven in Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2)

A Ramsey Family Affair in Texas Glitter
Navajo Warrior Spoils Return of Preakness Runner-up Gosger
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Estimated at $175,000

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Undefeated She Be Smooth and My Miss Mo, respectively first and second in last month’s Davona Dale (G2), twice Grade 2-placed Just Singing and Prom Queen, an eye-catching maiden winner last time out, head a field of seven 3-year-old fillies entered Saturday in the $275,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 28.

The 1 1/16-mile Oaks is part of a blockbuster 14-race program featuring 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.675 million in purses anchored by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm at Xalapa. Post time is 11:30 a.m. ET

First run in 1971, the Oaks offers 200 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Oaks (G1) to the top five finishers on a 100-50-25-15-10 basis.

After going unraced at 2, She Be Smooth has won both of her starts this winter at Gulfstream, each going one mile. She graduated by 2 ¼ lengths Jan. 23 then stepped up to stakes company to romp by six lengths in the Davona Dale. Flavien Prat is named to ride from Post 6 in a field of seven.

Davona Dale runner-up My Miss Mo was a 12-length graduate against fellow Florida-breds Nov. 9 at Gulfstream then ran fourth in the Sandpiper at Tampa Bay Downs to cap her juvenile season. Trying two turns for the first time, she will have Tyler Gaffalione back in the irons from Post 2.

Whisper Hill Farm’s Just Singing (Post 4, John Velazquez) will be making her fourth straight start around two turns in the Oaks. She broke her maiden second time out and was a rallying third by a length in the Golden Rod (G2) last fall in Kentucky, and again finished third in the Feb. 14 Rachel Alexandra (G2) in her lone start at 3.

Gary and Mary West’s Prom Queen (Post 5, Javier Castellano) ran second to She Be Smooth in debut, returning with an eight-length rout in a Feb. 12 maiden special weight at the course and distance for trainer Brad Cox.

Also exiting the Davona Dale is JSM Equine’s Haute Diva (Post 7, Joel Rosario), who finished fifth. The daughter of 2014 Florida Derby winner Constitution has been first or second in six of seven career tries on the dirt at Gulfstream, two of them wins including a 14-1 upset in the one-mile Cash Run Jan. 1.

Shining Stables’ Nasti Z (Post 3, Micah Husbands), a two-length maiden claiming winner sprinting 5 ½ furlongs Feb. 21 at Gulfstream in her lone start; and William Werner’s Betty’s Pearl (Post 1, Mario Gutierrez) a last-out maiden special weight winner going seven furlongs Feb. 8 at Gulfstream, complete the field.

The 56th running of the Oaks is carded as Race 9, with a scheduled post time of 3:31 p.m. ET

A Ramsey Family Affair in Texas Glitter

Kenneth Ramsey’s Shipmate, trained by grandson Nolan Ramsey and ridden by Miguel Vasquez, gamely held off Throckmorton down the stretch to win Saturday’s $125,000 Texas Glitter.

A 3-year-old son of Mendelssohn, Shipmate covered the five-furlong Tapeta course in :55.63 while winning by a head. The race was originally scheduled over the turf.

For Ramsey, who had a kidney transplant in 2024, this was the first time he stood in the winner’s circle with Nolan and his family.

“Couldn’t happen to a nicer family,” said Ramsey laughing.

“Long overdue,” Nolan Ramsey said. “My parents are here, my kids. It makes for a nice photo.”

Shipmate, who broke his maiden at Gulfstream in December, entered Saturday’s stakes race off a victory over the Tapeta at Gulfstream in an allowance optional claimer Feb. 13. The colt has previously finished fourth in January in the Turfway Preview and fourth at Gulfstream in November in the Pulpit Stakes.

In the Texas Glitter, Vasquez rated Shipmate behind a :21.12 opening quarter set by Monster before moving toward the leader around the turn along with Throckmorton and Intricate Spirit. While Throckmorton challenged Shipmate along the rail down the stretch, Shipmate would not be denied.

“He’s one of those horses who has run a few good races here,” Nolan Ramsey said. “I was a little skeptical of the quality. I kind of think he got things his way in those races. On paper I didn’t think we would outbreak [Monster]. I thought he was the fastest. I told Miguel to ride off him and he rode him perfect.”

It was Vasquez’s third victory of the afternoon.

Navajo Warrior Spoils Return of Preakness Runner-up Gosger

BAG Racing Stables, Miller Racing, Dr. Derek Paul, Mathis Stable, Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch’s Navajo Warrior, unhurried in the early going, came with a steady run through the stretch to reel in Gosger and spoil the Grade 3 winner’s season opener Saturday.

Ridden by Edwin Gonzalez for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., Navajo Warrior ($11) ran 1 1/16 miles over a fast main track in 1:41.09 to register his eighth career win in the second-level optional claiming allowance by 1 ½ lengths.

Runner-up in the Preakness Stakes (G1) and Haskell (G1) last year, beaten a half-length each time, Harvey Clarke Racing Stable 4-year-old homebred Gosger was keen early making his first start since finishing sixth in the Nov. 28 Clark (G2). He led the way from his rail post pressed by Skate Away through a quarter-mile in 23.17 seconds and Excite going a half in 46.58. Navajo Warrior trailed early, split horses leaving the far turn and edged past Gosger inside the eighth pole in his 16th start and first at Gulfstream.

Gosger made his first two starts at Gulfstream during last winter’s Championship Meet, graduating second time out in a one-mile maiden special weight and capturing his subsequent start, the Lexington (G3) at Keeneland.

NOTE: Sunday’s 20-cent Rainbow 6 is estimated at $175,000. The sequence begins with Race 5, a maiden special weight event at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf for 3-year-olds. Zakinthos, trained by Brian Lynch, is the 2-1 favorite. Time to Strike, a $725,000 purchase, draws the rail. The sequence ends with another maiden special weight event on the turf for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. Illuminatrice is 3-1 on the morning line…. Jockey Javier Castellano won four races Saturday. The Hall of Famer rode the early double with Classic Move ($10.60) in the first and Velociraptor ($4) in the second. He then won the late double with Lois Len ($5.80) in the 11th and Big Magic ($4.40) in the 12th.