Awesome Strong, Lynx stay perfect with Florida Sire Stakes division victories

Awesome Strong and Lynx both remained perfect after three career starts Saturday when they won separate divisions of the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Awesome Strong ($3.60) was always prominent for a three-length victory over Turbo in the $200,000 Affirmed. Lynx ($3.80) closed through the stretch for a 4 3/4-length win over Guardian Angel in the $200,000 Susan’s Girl.

The sire-restricted stakes for 2-year-olds were both run at seven furlongs, on a fast track. The series moves to two turns next month at Gulfstream.

Lynx settled off the pace in fourth as Cajun Tease set fractions of 22.53 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.63 for the half-mile. Lynx unleashed a strong bid on the turn, came four-wide into the stretch, and rallied down the middle of the track to win in 1:25.79.

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“Going long will be even better,” winning rider Edgard Zayas said in a post-race interview broadcast by Gulfstream.

Carlos David trains Lynx for her breeder, Arindel. She is a daughter of Brethren and a half-sister to African Rose, an eight-time stakes winner who registered three of those victories in the two-turn Harry Henson at Sunland Park.

Lynx is now 3 for 3 for earnings of $223,000. She won her maiden in May at Gulfstream before capturing the Desert Vixen division of the Florida Sire Stakes in her race leading up to the Susan’s Girl.

Cajun Tease held third in the Susan’s Girl, 1 1/2 lengths behind Guardian Angel.

Awesome Strong sat just off the pace in the early stages of the Affirmed, as Grand Slash broke running and dueled with Undalay through an opening quarter in 21.84 seconds. Awesome Strong moved to the fore soon afterward, while covering a half-mile in 44.89, and six furlongs in 1:10.65. He went on to win in 1:24.77, with Miguel Vasquez aboard for trainer Jorge Delgado.

“He steps up to every occasion,” co-owner Alex Childs said in an interview broadcast by Gulfstream. “He just performs.”

Awesome Strong is now 3 for 3. He won a maiden special weight in his career debut May 6 and one start later captured the Dr. Fager, the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes.

Awesome Strong is a son of Awesome Slew who has now earned $218,000. He was purchased privately after his debut by CSLR Racing Partners, which has ties to Texas.