Garoffalo has contenders in both Saturday grass stakes
Trainer Jose Garoffalo will send out capable 3-year-olds in the twin turf features Saturday at Gulfstream Park, with Black Martino getting added distance in the $75,000 English Channel and Gorgeous Dream looking to nail down a third straight win when she runs in the $75,000 Honey Ryder.
“Both horses have a good shot,” Garoffalo said. “We’ll see what happens. We’re expecting good races from both horses.”
The English Channel, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, drew nine, including Twotwentyfive A, a stakes winner who adds blinkers; Call Me Crazy, who has been close in recent stakes starts; Moon Over Cuzco, a wire-to-wire threat from the rail; and Ulysses, a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Tizway.
The Honey Ryder, a one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies, lured 10, including Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf alumna Sivoliere; stakes winner Red Sashay; and Grade 3 Florida Oaks third-place finisher Lismore.
KEY CONTENDERS
English Channel (Race 7)
Black Martino (Last 3 Beyers: 77-72-52)
◗ He enters off a third-place finish in the $60,000 Cutler Bay Stakes, a one-mile turf race. He broke from the rail and set the pace to late in the race April 1 at Gulfstream.
“The way he ran that day, he showed a lot of confidence,” said Garoffalo. “He just got beat a couple of lengths. He was strong all the way. In this race, I think the mile and a sixteenth is going to be better for him.”
◗ The Cutler Bay has proven to be a key race, with runner-up High Noon Rider coming back to take an optional $75,000 claimer at Gulfstream with a Beyer Speed Figure of 85 and sixth-place finisher Escondido returning to win an optional $25,000 claimer, also at Gulfstream, with a Beyer of 75.
◗ Black Martino, who races for Honors Stable Corp., has won two of his last four starts, with both wins coming over the turf at Gulfstream.
“He’s been improving,” Garoffalo said. “I think he’s getting more mature. I think he’s a better horse now.”
◗ Black Martino will break from post 8 under Eddie Castro.
“The post is not a problem,” said Garoffalo, noting that the horse is comfortable on the lead or sitting just off the pace.
Call Me Crazy (Last 3 Beyers: 77-76-74)
◗ He exits the Cutler Bay, like Black Martino, finishing fourth.
◗ Call Me Crazy has a strong closing kick and can take advantage if Moon Over Cuzco, Comanche’s Storm, and Grand Jr make for a quick pace in the English Channel.
◗ J.J. Gonzales has the mount for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and trainer Kathy Ritvo.
Moon Over Cuzco (Last 3 Beyers: 80-69-31)
◗ He has won his last two starts, both going wire to wire at 1 1/16 miles on turf at Gulfstream.
◗ Moon Over Cuzco set a quick pace last time and might prove to be the one to catch.
Honey Ryder (Race 8)
Gorgeous Dream (Last 3 Beyers: 76-66-51)
◗ She’s been in the zone, having won her maiden Feb. 15 over the Gulfstream turf, then winning an optional $50,000 claiming race March 17 over the local grass.
“She’s been improving,” said Garoffalo.
◗ Gorgeous Dream, who races for her breeders, Mary Anne Denes and Mary Ellen Woelfel, is out of the mare Gorgeous Goose, a Grade 3 winner on turf who earned $225,032.
◗ Rosemary Homeister Jr. has the mount on Gorgeous Dream from post 7.
“We’ll take advantage of her speed,” Garoffalo said.
Sivoliere (Beyer: 83)
◗ After having raced in France, she made her North American debut in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita last out and finished fifth behind division heavy Lady Eli. The race has since become a key one, with four horses returning to win their next start, including Lady Eli, who won for the Grade 3 Appalachian at Keeneland, and third-place finisher Osaila, who scored at Newmarket.
◗ Sivoliere won a stakes in France and was Group 3-placed there last year at 2.
◗ Leandro Goncalves has the mount for Martin Schwartz and trainer Chad Brown.