Gaffalione positioned for big Saturday at Gulfstream

Leading rider Tyler Gaffalione could have a huge day at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. He has an excellent chance of winning the two $400,000 Florida Sire Stakes with Soutache, who will be a short price in the In Reality for colts and geldings, and Dessert Honeys, likely be sent off as the chalk in the My Dear Girl for 2-year-old fillies. On top of that, he rides the morning-line favorites in the four supporting stakes.

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All four races are worth $75,000 and three are one-mile turf contests. The Monroe is also on the grass, but will be contested over 1 1/16 miles. The 14-race card starts at noon Eastern.

First up in race 4 is the Mr. Steele for 3-year-olds and up, and Gaffalione will ride Galleon Mast.

Trained by David Fawkes, the 4-year-old Galleon Mast is coming off back-to-back stakes wins on grass, the latest going 1 1/16 miles in the $50,000 The Vid Handicap on Sept. 4. He thrives running over the Gulfstream Park turf course, where he has compiled an excellent 4-4-3 record from 11 starts.

Galleon Mast drew the outside post in the seven-horse field.

Adding intrigue to the Mr. Steele is Orpheus, who will be making his first start in North America. Trained by Rohan Crichton, Orpheus has won 12 of his 31 starts, all in Brazil, including a Group 2 stakes.

In the other three undercard stakes:

Armed Forces Stakes

KEY CONTENDERS

Dial One, by Dialed In
Last 3 Beyers: 56-70-56

◗ Gaffalione rides, and he was aboard when Dial One romped going five furlongs on turf at Gulfstream in his debut May 20.

◗ Trained by Todd Pletcher, he is coming off a third-place finish in the Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 18. The 5 1/2-furlong dash, originally scheduled to be run on, turf was contested over a muddy main track.

◗ He drew post 7 in the eight-horse field for the Armed Forces.

Renaisance Frolic, by Paynter

Last 3 Beyers: 65-56-56

◗ He owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, which he received for his seventh-place finish in the Fasig-Tipton Turf Showcase Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 6 with Gaffalione riding. It was a solid effort, though, especially considering he broke from the outside post in the 12-horse field.

◗ Trained by David Fawkes, he is the only horse with a win at a middle distance, and it came at Gulfstream in a maiden special weight race Aug. 12. He will break from post 5 with Jose Batista picking up the mount.

Monroe Stakes

KEY CONTENDERS

Susie Bee, by English Channel
Last 3 Beyers: 86-88-87

◗ The 5-year-old won the $75,000 Christmas Past at Gulfstream May 27. She finished fifth in her next start, which came on Sept. 9 in the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf won by the multiple Grade 1 winner Miss Temple City.

◗ She also figures to move forward in her second start back with Gaffalione riding again for trainer Michael Maker.

Bonita, by Bluegrass Cat

Last 3 Beyers: 86-82-84

◗ She is on a roll with back-to-back wins on the Gulfstream Park turf course, in the Panama City Stakes on Aug. 13 and the Wasted Tears on Sept. 2.

◗ Prior to her stakes victories, she finished sixth behind Susie Bee in the Christmas Past.

Our Dear Peggy Stakes

KEY CONTENDERS

Homemade Salsa, by Two Step Salsa
Beyer: 65

◗ The full sister to Grade 2 winner Conquest Two Step was an impressive debut winner on the main track for trainer Michael Maker.

◗ Gaffalione rides again and he will likely have her in a stalking position after she breaks from post 3.

Gift of Glory, by Lookin at Lucky
Last 3 Beyers: 67-47-42

◗ She really hasn’t run a bad race on turf, and she took a big step forward when she won a maiden special weight race going 7 1/2 furlongs in her last start on Sept. 3.

◗ Trained by Antonio Sano, she figures to be rolling late with Marcos Meneses retaining the mount.

◗ Sano will also be represented by Queen Rose, who forced the issue early when she won a maiden special weight race in her second start and first on turf Aug. 13. Gift of Glory finished third in that one-mile race.