Amelia's Wild Ride keeps Preciado on hot streak

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Ramon Preciado said he was already enjoying his first winter at Gulfstream Park, if for no other reason that it’s kept him out of the inclement weather that’s plagued his home track of Parx this season.

But Preciado’s winter in south Florida got even better on Saturday when Amelia’s Wild Ride rallied from just off the pace to a one-length victory over the favored Green Mask in the $75,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

Ridden by Jose Lezcano, Amelia’s Wild Ride chased the early pace of Bold Thunder, overtook that rival inside the sixteenth marker, and easily withstood the final surge of Green Mask. Green Mask angled wide commencing his bid leaving the bend, then surged to be second, finishing a half-length in front of the tiring Bold Thunder, who was third.

Amelia’s Wild Ride, a 4-year-old son of D’wildcat, is owned by Silver Trail Stables LLC. The victory was the third of the meet from just a dozen starters for Preciado, and the seventh in 22 career starts for Amelia’s Wild Ride. He paid $16.

“He’s been training really well and we were hoping he’d run a big race,” said Preciado. “He got a perfect trip. He didn’t have to rush. He settled pretty good, and when you ask him, he goes.”

Preciado said he has only six horses stabled at Gulfstream but hopes to expand on those numbers next year.

“I’d rather be here than Philadelphia,” said Preciado. “It’s very cold up there and you don’t get to race all the time. Next winter I’d like to bring 12 or 15 horses down here.”