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Value Engineering Seeks Repeat in Saturday’s H. Allen Jerkens
12/15/2023
El Terreno Demonstrates Star Potential Friday at Gulfstream
Juliet’s Rose Runs Back to Sharp Debut Win in Friday Feature
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $225,000
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Michael Maker has no worries about Saturday’s wet-weather forecast at Gulfstream Park, where he will saddle Value Engineering for a title defense in the $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap.
Maker will go into the two-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up with confidence that Michael Hui and Phil Forte’s Value Engineering will show up whether the race named in memory of the beloved Hall of Fame trainer is run on Tapeta or turf, as scheduled.
“He did OK on [Tapeta] last time,” Maker said.
Value Engineering did a lot better than OK when he captured last year’s Jerkens after it was transferred to Gulfstream’s all-weather surface from turf. Making his first start for his current connections after being bought for $35,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November sale, the son of Lemon Drop Kid made his all-weather debut in the Jerkens, rallying from off the pace to score by three-quarters of a length.
The prospect of running again over Gulfstream’s all-weather course seems highly likely due to weather. He prepped for the Jerkens over Turfway Park’s Tapeta track Nov. 30, finishing seventh in a mile optional claiming allowance in his first race since finishing off the board the May 13 Man o’ War at Belmont.
“Last time, he had a horrible post and I think the mile was too short for him,” Maker said. “But we wanted the race to prepare for this one.”
Value Engineering showed his versatility last season at Gulfstream not only by winning the Jerkens on Tapeta but in his subsequent turf starts, a second-place finish in the McKnight (G3) and a victory in the Mac Diarmida (G2).
Jose Ortiz, who hasn’t ridden Value Engineering since his Mac Diarmida score, will be reunited with the 7-year-old gelding.
Hometown favorite Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride for the first time during the Championship Meet Saturday, when he is named to ride Graham Motion-trained Swore in the Jerkens among his seven scheduled mounts. The Davie FL native, who won his first race in 2014 at Gulfstream, has become a dominant force in Kentucky, where he has won four titles between Keeneland and Churchill Downs this year.
El Terreno Demonstrates Star Potential Friday at Gulfstream
Castleton Lyons’ El Terreno demonstrated raw star potential Friday at Gulfstream Park, where the 2-year-old daughter of Speightstown captured a entry-level optional claiming allowance by 4 ¼ lengths under wraps.
Coming off a sharp 11-length maiden special weight romp in her debut Oct. 25 over Presque Isle Downs’ Tapeta course, the 2-5 favorite jumped out of the starting gate to grab an early lead that she would extend to the finish of the five-furlong, off-the-turf sprint carded as Race 2.
Christophe Clement-trained El Terreno ran five furlongs in 55.67 seconds under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the dash that had been scheduled to be run on turf.
“She was very impressive. She did everything on her own. She broke out of there. I didn’t have to ask her. She was quick and then she relaxed,” Ortiz said. “Turning home, I just motioned to her and showed her the stick one time and she finished on her own.”
Tracy Farmer’s Time to Dazzle lived up to her name in Race 7, a mile entry-level optional claiming allowance for 2-year-old fillies moved from turf to Tapeta. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Not This Time grabbed an uncontested early lead and was never threatened thereafter, scoring by 2 ½ lengths under Joe Bravo. Time To Dazzle had won at first asking at Woodbine at a mile on turf before finishing fifth in the Jessamine (G2) at Keeneland. The even-money favorite ran a mile on Tapeta in 1:40.13.
Juliet’s Rose Runs Back to Sharp Debut Win in Friday Feature
Sienna Farm LLC’s Juliet’s Rose ($5.40) ran back to her recent sharp debut in Friday’s Race 9 feature at Gulfstream Park.
Juliet’s Rose, who graduated by 4 ¾ going-away lengths Nov.5, went to the lead under Leonel Reyes in the six-furlong optional claiming allowance for older fillies and mares and continued on to win by 8 ¾ lengths.
“She ran well. She’s got a great pedigree and a great ownership group that was patient enough to let her come around later in life,” trainer Ralph Nicks said.
The homebred 3-year-old daughter of Bolt d’Oro ran six furlongs in 1:10 22.
“She has the pedigree to run on down the racetrack, which I hope ends up at some point,” Nicks said.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Gross Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $225,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 gross jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $225,000 Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Friday for the seventh racing day following a mandatory payout that yielded multiple $50,999 payoffs.
Saturday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-11, anchored by the $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap in Race 11.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
The $3 Tropical Turf Pick 3 will encompass Races 4, 8 and 11. The races will be run over the Tapeta Course should they be transferred from turf.
Who’s Hot: Trainer Juan Alvardo won back-to-back for Arindel with Kiki ($5.20) in Race 3 and Jigsaw ($5.20) in Race 4.
Defending Championship Meet titlist Irad Ortiz Jr. tripled scoring aboard El Terreno ($2.80) in Race 2, Therapist ($4) in Race 5 and Most Wanted Man $5.40) in Race 6.