Delta Bluesman, Awesome Banner right at home in Smile Sprint
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Technically speaking, Delta Bluesman and Awesome Banner are considered “invaders” for Saturday’s $250,000 Smile Sprint, with both having flown down from their summer headquarters this week. But when it comes to the Gulfstream Park main track, nobody in the eight-horse lineup has had more success than the two “shippers,” who will try to earn a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint with a victory in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint.
The six-furlong Smile Sprint, for 3-year-olds and up, will share top billing on the outstanding 14-race Summit of Speed card with its filly-and-mare counterpart, the Grade 2 Princess Rooney, which is also part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge series. First post is 11:55 a.m. Eastern.
Delta Bluesman has come a long way since finally winning his maiden here under a $25,000 claiming tag in his 17th career start in 2014. Claimed by current trainer Jorge Navarro for $30,000 later that season, Delta Bluesman won the 2016 Smile Sprint by 3 3/4 lengths over Limousine Liberal. Delta Bluesman has won four times and finished first or second in nine of his 18 outings at Gulfstream.
“He loves Gulfstream,” said Navarro, who said he had considered retiring Delta Bluesman after he lost his first five starts this season following a troubled sixth-place finish in the 2016 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
“He got cut up pretty bad in the Breeders’ Cup and was starting to shy away from horses when they came to him after that,” said Navarro. “I didn’t want to drop him in for a claiming tag again because he’d done so much for us. But I made some equipment changes, began working him in company, and I think right now he’s doing as well as he was going into this race a year ago.”
The 4-year-old Awesome Banner, stabled at Laurel Park with trainer Ken Decker, has registered all six of his victories at Gulfstream. Five of those wins came in stakes at age 3, including one-sided tallies in the Grade 2 Swale and Grade 3 Hutcheson for his original trainer, Stanley Gold.
Awesome Banner enters off one of his best performances, a third-place finish behind the top sprinters Whitmore and A. P. Indian in the Grade 3 Maryland Sprint.
“Gulfstream is his racetrack,” said Decker, who has had Awesome Banner since the fall. “He hasn’t been down there this winter or spring, but that’s his track.”
Imperial Hint, who will carry the high weight of 123 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Smile Sprint, is the only entrant who has not raced over this track. The son of Imperialism has captured his last three starts by a combined 11 1/2 lengths but has not started since winning the Grade 3 General George at Laurel by 2 1/4 lengths on Feb. 18.
Imperial Hint made the long trip to Dubai to compete in the Grade 1 Golden Shaheen in March but missed the race after contracting a fever. He returned to his home base at Parx Racing a month later and has been working steadily and impressively for his return, according to trainer Luis Carvajal Jr.
“It seems like taking the whole month off and keeping him over there, giving him that kind of rest, really was a big help,” said Carvajal. “He shipped back to Parx in perfect condition, and he’s done super ever since. I love the way he’s been working.”
Royal Squeeze is 3 for 8 at Gulfstream, including an overnight stakes win in his last start April 30. Quijote captured the Big Drama Stakes on May 20 in his only appearance at this track.
Very Very Stella, Express Jet, and Coronado Again, who is the only 3-year-old in the lineup, complete the field.
Key Contenders
Delta Bluesman, by Wagon Limit
Last 3 Beyers: 85-76-77
◗ He joined Greg at Bat (1991) as the oldest winner of the Smile Sprint when he captured the race as a 6-year-old in 2016.
Awesome Banner, by Awesome of Course
Last 3 Beyers: 99-55-91
◗ Finished third, a neck behind Delta Bluesman, in the pair’s only meeting in the Sunshine Millions Sprint here last winter.