Gulfstream offering 41 stakes during spring-summer meet

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The 2016 Gulfstream Park spring-summer stakes schedule was released Wednesday, with a program worth a record $5.575 million. The schedule has grown from 29 stakes last season to 41 this year, topped once again by the $1.1 million Summit of Speed card on July 2 and the Florida Sire series, worth nearly $3 million spread over three days, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, and Oct. 1.

The Summit of Speed card will include three graded stakes: the Grade 2 Princess Rooney, Grade 2 Smile Sprint, and Grade 3 Carry Back. The only other graded stakes during the meet is the Grade 3 Miami Mile, which kicks off the spring-summer stakes schedule April 30.

“This is another step in our efforts to reinvigorate and rebuild the summer racing schedule in Florida,” said P.J. Campo, Gulfstream’s general manager and vice president of racing for track owner The Stronach Group. “We continue to see more horsemen applying for year-round stalls and more interest in our stakes schedule. We are committed to building our summer schedule. We believe it will make for a stronger overall program in Florida and will showcase large fields and quality racing.”