Diamond Oops among strong field for Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream

A pair of $100,000 stakes on Saturday will serve as co-highlights of the coming weekend at Gulfstream, with Diamond Oops the most noteworthy prospect expected to race.

Diamond Oops is among the possibles for the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector, a six-furlong fixture that will share the Saturday spotlight with the Via Borghese, an ungraded 1 3/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares. With regular rider Florent Geroux otherwise occupied Saturday at Fair Grounds, Julien Leparoux has picked up the mount for trainer Patrick Biancone on Diamond Oops, a 5-year-old gelding who will be making his first start since finishing sixth as a 5-1 chance in the Nov. 7 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Other probable starters in what’s shaping up as a terrific renewal of the Mr. Prospector include Firenze Fire and Mind Control, both scratched from the Dec. 5 Cigar Mile because of an off track, and Cool Arrow, whose 4-for-7 local mark includes a victory in the Grade 3 Smile Sprint in September.

Leparoux also will ride Kelsey’s Cross for Biancone in the Via Borghese. The 37-year-old Frenchman is being represented at the championship meet for the first time by agent Frank Lyons.

Pletcher, Maker on streaks

Just as soon as Todd Pletcher won four races on the Saturday card at Gulfstream, Mike Maker matched the feat with his own four-bagger Sunday as the perennial top trainers forged ahead in the local standings.

Into this week, Maker held a 7-6 lead over Pletcher, with Danny Gargan among four trainers following them with four wins apiece, even from just eight starters.