Atreides should fare better at one-turn mile of the Cigar Mile Handicap

MIAMI, Fla. – Trainer Marty Wolfson says to just draw a line through Atreides’s disappointing performance last Saturday night in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby.

Atreides, one of just a handful of horses to earn three triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures to launch his career, broke slowly and finished sixth, beaten 10 1/4 lengths by East Hall, when stretching out around two turns for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile Indiana Derby. Atreides, a homebred son of Medaglia d’Oro owned by Stonestreet Stables, won his first three career starts at Gulfstream Park by a combined 25 3/4 lengths.

“I think it was the two turns and the lights that got him the other night,” Wolfson said. “He was looking around in the gate, broke slow, and then [Joel Rosario] kind of took a hold of him and let him drop back too far. He’s never been that far back before. He came out of the race fine, so we’ll just toss it out and look ahead to the next one.”

The next one, according to Wolfson, will be the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29.

“I think a one-turn mile will suit him best,” Wolfson said. “It looks like Itsmyluckyday will be the one to beat there. I’ll train him up to the Cigar down here and ship him up to New York the week of the race.”

Trainer Fred Warren dies

When Ben Jacob went to post in Wednesday’s opener at Gulfstream Park West, it was a sad reminder of the recent passing of veteran horseman Fred Warren, who died at age 79 last week. Ben Jacob had been trained by Warren prior to his death. He is currently under the tutelage of Harold Schultz.

Warren won 676 races during his career, the majority of those victories coming at Calder Race Course, where he had been a mainstay for decades. Warren won 11 races during the final Calder meet, which ended earlier this summer. He had no wins during the recently concluded Gulfstream Park summer session.

First stakes of inaugural meet

Valid and Csaba will renew acquaintances when topping the field for Saturday’s $75,000 Eight Miles West, the first stakes race to be carded at the inaugural Gulfstream Park West meet. Valid edged away to a popular 1 3/4-length allowance win over a sloppy track going a mile at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 11, with Csaba finishing a tiring and distant third. The compact lineup also will include Decisive Moment, Stormin Monarcho, Turco Bravo, and Midnight Cello.

Mr Exclusive in track opener

Mr Exclusive, wheeling back on six days’ rest, led throughout to capture the first race on Wednesday’s opening-day program at Gulfstream Park West. Mr Exclusive, who finished a tiring fourth against similar non-winners of two lifetime competition at Gulfstream last Thursday, was ridden to victory by Orlando Bocachica for trainer Jason DaCosta.

Gulfstream summer leaders

Edgard Zayas easily took down the Gulfstream summer riding title, posting 88 victories during the session that began on July 1 and ended last Saturday. He easily outdistanced his closest pursuer, Ramsey Zimmerman, who finished the meet with 56 wins. Jesus Rios (38), apprentice Arny Fontanez (29), and Jose Valdivia Jr. (23) rounded out the top five.

Gustavo Delgado, who came to the U.S. earlier this year, wasted little time making his presence felt around these parts, capturing the summer training crown with 24 wins. Kirk Ziadie nipped David Fawkes 19-18 to finish second, followed by Antonio Sano (16). Ralph Nicks (15) and Stanley Gold (15) finished in a dead heat for fifth in the standings.