Gulfstream: Apriority tries to rebound against deep field

Trainer David Fawkes is putting a line through Apriority’s last try in the Sunshine Millions Sprint and hoping his Grade 3 winner will be back on track in Sunday’s fourth race, a $74,900 allowance dash that drew a stellar field of six, including Noble’s Promise and Soaring Stocks.

Apriority finished seventh, 10 lengths behind Soaring Stocks, in the Sunshine Millions Sprint. The performance came four weeks after Apriority grabbed a quarter leaving the gate en route to a very game nose victory in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector.

“I thought his foot had healed okay for the Sunshine Sprint, but obviously it was still bugging him,” Fawkes said. “But he’s really done well the last few weeks, and I’m expecting one of his typically big efforts on Sunday.”

Soaring Stocks has shown sudden improvement here this winter for trainer Todd Pletcher, having won his last two starts including the Sunshine Millions Sprint after finishing a well-beaten fifth going a mile early in the meet. Soaring Stocks also was entered in entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

Noble’s Promise has been idle since finishing seventh as the favorite in the Presque Isle Mile in early September. Noble’s Promise, who finished fifth after making the lead a mile into the 2010 Kentucky Derby, has found renewed life as a sprinter, with his biggest efforts last year a victory in Churchill Downs’ Grade 3 Aristides and a third in Calder’s Grade 2 Smile Sprint.

Bold Warrior, Nathan’s H Q, and Apriority’s uncoupled stablemate Cash Rules complete the field.

◗ Fawkes was mourning the loss Friday of one of his longtime owners and good friend Walter “Buddy” New who passed away the previous day. Among the top horses New campaigned with Fawkes over the years was Forty One Carats, a multiple Grade 2 winner whose victories included the Smile, Pegasus, and Indiana Derby. New also was co-owner of Southern Rhythm, seventh-place finisher in the 1994 Kentucky Derby.

Landeros set to join local riding colony

Chris Landeros will join the local jockey colony next week. Landeros began his career in Arizona at Turf Paradise and also rode regularly at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate from 2007-09 before moving his tack to Texas on a regular basis the past few years. Landeros was leading rider at Lone Star Park in 2009 and 2010, posting 101 victories during just a 67-day meeting in 2010.

Landeros plans to remain in south Florida and ride regularly at Calder the remainder of the year . His engagements will be handled by veteran agent Dan Mellul who parted ways with Daniel Centeno earlier this winter.