Gigantic Breeze will run in Claiming Crown Jewel

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Gigantic Breeze, who upset Melmich in the Grade 2 Autumn Stakes on Nov. 12, will make his next start in the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, trainer Alexander McPherson said.

Gigantic Breeze is eligible for the Claiming Crown after running for a $20,000 claiming tag last November. McPherson said he is hopeful Gigantic Breeze can maintain his strong 2017 form following the long journey to Florida.

“We have some concerns about running back in 20 days and shipping 1,500 miles,” he said. “But he’s a big, strong horse and seems to be in real good order.”

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Gigantic Breeze came within .22 of a second of setting a 1 1/16-mile track record in the Autumn. He’ll switch over to the dirt for the Claiming Crown Jewel, which will be contested over 1 1/8 miles. McPherson said Gigantic Breeze has trained over the dirt before, including breezing five furlongs over the dirt training track at Woodbine in 1:02.20 on Nov. 24.

“I worked him on it when he first came to me [in 2016],” McPherson said.

Gigantic Breeze has won 5 of his 7 starts in 2017, including wins in the Autumn and Presque Isle Mile Stakes. McPherson said the decision to geld Gigantic Breeze last winter led to his improvement this season.

With Gigantic Breeze in top form, McPherson said he’ll continue to run over the winter until he signals that he needs time off.

“We’re going to take it one race at a time, but the minute he shows us he needs a break, he’s going to go to Webb Carroll in South Carolina where he was last winter,” he said. “In the old days, you didn’t stop on them when they were good.”