Gold’s 2-year-olds could sweep Birdonthewire, Cassidy
On most other weekend programs this summer at Gulfstream Park, a $75,000 stakes race would qualify as the main event. But with Gulfstream joining other North American tracks in driving home the “big event” concept, no fewer than five $75,000 stakes will serve as mere sidelights on the huge Summit of Speed card Sunday at the south Florida track.
The Birdonthewire is the first of those five secondary features – and the first of nine straight stakes overall. Here’s the rundown:
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◗ Birdonthewire (race 4, 2:06 p.m. Eastern): Not surprisingly, Jacks or Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold are major players in this 5 1/2-furlong race, given how dominant they have become on this circuit in the major 2-year-old events. They’ve got an uncoupled duo of first-out winners in Silent Prayer and Fellowship, who won on back-to-back days here in early May. Silent Prayer is the only filly in a field of eight.
Larry Pilotti, with Francesco Blue and Flashing Light, also has an uncoupled pair of last-out winners. None of the eight has competed in anything other than the maiden ranks.
◗ Cassidy (race 5, 2:37): Given the way Ballet Diva won her May 28 debut by 12 lengths for Jacks or Better and Gold, it’s no wonder they entered their other homebred filly, Silent Prayer, against the boys, angling for a sweep of both 2-year-old stakes on the assumption that Ballet Diva will come through as a solid favorite here when breaking from the rail with Jose Caraballo back aboard.
Otherwise, top challengers among the nine fillies in this 5 1/2-furlong counterpart to the Birdonthewire are It’s High Time and Wishihada. Both were well backed in winning their debuts.
◗ Umphrey Turf Sprint (race 6, 3:08): With precious few of these older horses having proven themselves capable in the turf-sprint stakes ranks, slight favoritism in this five-furlong race could fall to the rail-drawn Successful Native, an emphatic winner of a June 7 prep for this. Trained by Aubrey Maragh, the colt earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure when wearing blinkers for the first time.
Drawn toward the outside, a pair of recent claims for Richard Averill – At Large and Noble Prince – both will race under the name of Sally Mitchellhill while trainer Kirk Ziadie tries to get his licensing issues resolved. Both of those 5-year-old geldings rate a decent chance in this wide-open race.
◗ Miesque’s Approval (race 8, post 4:10): East Hall is easily the leading earner among a field of 10 older horses entered in a race scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on turf, but just one of his 24 career starts has come on grass.
So, unless weather forces this to the main track, favoritism should go to Grand Tito, who gets a call from Javier Castellano after having run well in a string of graded races while consistently earning mid-90s Beyers. Trained by Gustavo Delgado, the 5-year-old Grand Tito will have to overcome the far-outside post.
◗ Spook Express (race 12, post 6:14): The 12-race card concludes with perhaps the best betting race of the day, with as many as 14 fillies and mares scheduled to go 1 1/16 miles on turf. Street of Gold could be a lukewarm choice after snapping a lengthy losing streak in a May 29 prep for this, but overall, trainer Marty Wolfson might hold the best hand with the trio of E B Ryder, Madaket Millie, and Lori’s Store.