Gabaldon has Tyro or Skidmore on radar after Royal Ascot trip

Gabaldon, who represented Gulfstream Park with a big runner-up finish in the 27-runner Windsor Castle Stakes during last month’s Royal Ascot meet, is now settled in at Saratoga and has upcoming stakes options in New York and at Monmouth Park, according to trainer Jose D’Angelo.

Gabaldon made the trip to England after winning the Royal Palm Juvenile in his career debut in May at Gulfstream. Emisael Jaramillo was aboard that afternoon and traveled overseas to ride Gabaldon, who was beaten just a length for Soldi Stable.

“He ran a huge race,” D’Angelo said. “Everything was new for him. Emisael gave a great ride on him.”

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D’Angelo said Gabaldon’s next start could come in either the $100,000 Tyro at five furlongs on turf Aug. 3 at Monmouth or the $150,000 Skidmore at 5 1/2 furlongs on turf Aug. 16 at Saratoga. The trainer is monitoring how the horse is bouncing back from his trip to Royal Ascot.

“If he’s ready, we’ll go,” he said. “If not, we’ll give him more time.”

D’Angelo said Monday that those are the plans for now, but added that Gabaldon has been entered in the Inglis Digital USA July sale on July 17.

D’Angelo, who is racing at Gulfstream, Monmouth, and Saratoga, had his first starter in England in the Windsor Castle.

“It was good experience,” he said. “You know, everything is so different, the way to train the horses over there compared to America. I learned a lot. I met a lot of people. It was a good experience.”

Gabaldon is a Florida-bred son of Gone Astray.

Big and Classy nears return

Big and Classy, one of the winningest horses in North America last year with an 8-for-11 record, is gearing up for his seasonal debut. He last raced in October, and in recent times has turned in a strong series of works at Gulfstream.

Trainer Bobby Dibona said Wednesday that Big and Classy will be considered for the $75,000 Tackleberry, an overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up at a mile July 20 at Gulfstream.

“He’s ready,” Dibona said. “I’ve nominated to the overnight handicap coming up. I don’t know. It’s not really ideal. I’m going to work him Saturday. I really want a starter allowance for him going short coming back off the layoff, but I’m ready. I may run in the overnight handicap.

“He looks awesome.”

Dibona said a summer goal would be the $100,000 Benny the Bull for 3-year-olds and up over seven furlongs Aug. 24 at Gulfstream.

Big and Classy races for Chris Aulds and Keith F. Johnston.

Steal Sunshine gets a break

Steal Sunshine, winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile in March, is getting a little downtime following his fifth-place finish in last month’s Grade 1 Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs.

“We turned him out for a couple of weeks,” trainer Bobby Dibona said. “He’ll be back to Gulfstream next week.”

Steal Sunshine, a closer, caught a moderate pace in the Stephen Foster.

“He ran well again, like he always does, it’s just that they gave me a half-mile in 48 [seconds],” Dibona said. “It’s just too slow. I got beat six lengths, but I had nothing to really run into.”

Steal Sunshine is a 5-year-old son of Constitution.

Hot streak for Dibona

Trainer Bobby Dibona has won with three of his last five starters at Gulfstream and will attempt to keep his hot hand going in Friday’s seventh race with Adios Asher.

Adios Asher will start as one of the top choices in the $12,500 starter allowance for 4-year-olds and up over 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. His chief rivals in the six-horse field appear to be Hope in Him and No Deliberation.

Adios Asher was fourth in his last start, against similar competition on June 20 at Gulfstream.

“I won two in a row off the claim, and last time he might have bounced a little off a big number,” Dibona said of the 89 Beyer Speed Figure the horse earned May 18. “But he was a little sick. After the race, he had a lot of discharge. I don’t think he was 100 percent. He’s on all cylinders for this one.”

Adios Asher will break from the rail under Leonel Reyes.

“We’ll just come out running and get our spot,” Dibona said. “I think he’ll finish well.”

Dibona also likes the bit of added distance the horse picks up off the five-furlong start last time.

“It just gives me a little more time to get in gear,” he said.

Adios Asher races for Norman Lamster.

No Deliberation, who will break from post 2, won a $25,000 starter allowance two races back at Gulfstream.

Hope in Him has won two of his last four starts, both sprints on Tapeta.

The card’s fifth race is a $25,000 starter allowance for 4-year-olds and up at a mile on turf and has drawn a competitive field of eight. The group includes Sociallongdistance, who is moving back to turf. His last win came at this mile distance on the grass at Gulfstream.

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