Gulfstream Park: Bahamian Squall defends Sunshine State title

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Bahamian Squall served notice he would be a sprinter to reckon with in 2013 when he closed out his 3-year-old campaign last December with a one-sided victory against statebreds in the Sunshine State Stakes. And sure enough, he made good on that promise.

After rising through the ranks of the nation’s sprint division this year, Bahamian Squall has come full cycle, returning to Gulfstream Park on Sunday off his sixth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint to defend his title in the seven-furlong Sunshine State. Bahamian Squall will face a familiar-looking group that includes Fort Loudon and Close It Out, the second- and third-place finishers in the 2012 Sunshine State, and the multiple Grade 1 winner Jackson Bend, the speedy Star Harbour, and Cat Five Hurricane.[bc_video_id:311711:]

Bahamian Squall flourished during the second half of the year, with the high-water marks of the season his victory in Calder’s Grade 2 Smile Sprint Handicap and second-place finish in the Grade 1 Alfred Vanderbilt at Saratoga. A homebred son of Gone West owned by Donald Dizney, Bahamian Squall fell further back than normal in the Breeders’ Cup before rallying mildly to finish 2 3/4 lengths behind race winner Secret Circle.

“I thought he ran hard all the way in the Sprint, they just got away from him early with that 21 and 1 opening quarter,” said trainer David Fawkes. “He’s a horse who really needs to be more forwardly placed. But he’s trained well since coming back from California and I expect him to be close up right from the outset stretching out to seven furlongs on Sunday.”

Fawkes also believes Bahamian Squall is as good as if not better than he was when he won this race a year ago.

“He’s definitely a lot more mature than he used to be,” said Fawkes. “If you remember, he had a tendency to drift here and there as a 3-year-old, but he’s much more focused and all business now.”

Joe Bravo will be aboard Bahamian Squall for the first time on Saturday, replacing regular rider Luis Saez.

Fort Loudon and Jackson Bend are both trained by Stanley Gold. Fort Loudon has not run since finishing eighth behind Bahamian Squall in the Smile Sprint five months earlier but has trained well for his return, according to Gold.

Jackson Bend will shorten up to one turn after finishing a wide-running fifth going 1 1/16 miles in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview. Jackson Bend has always been at his best going seven furlongs, the distance at which he posted both his Grade 1 victories, which came in the Carter and Forego with trainer Nick Zito. He was also second for Gold earlier this year in the Forego, beaten a diminishing half-length by Strapping Groom.

Gold said Jackson Bend didn’t run his race in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview, “and I’m just drawing a line through it.”

“I think, ideally, one turn is good for him because he wants to make a late run and you just want to see a good, honest pace where he can run you down,” Gold said.

Star Harbour figures to stand some catching coming off a third-place finish behind Caixa Eletronica in the Duck Dance overnight stakes at Belmont Park. Star Harbour was haltered for $35,000 out of a 12-length victory at Saratoga on Aug. 29.

Close It Out should again be coming fastest of all at the end, as he was when second in the seven-furlong Housebuster here this summer.

Apriority to Mr. Prospector

Fawkes confirmed Friday that Apriority, who showed renewed life with his six-length allowance win here two weeks ago, will close out his 2013 campaign in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector on Dec. 28. Apriority, who like Bahamian Squall is a Dizney homebred, spent the early part of the year with trainer Bob Baffert in California. He had finished off the board in four starts prior to his recent win.

“He’s going phenomenal at the moment,” said Fawkes. “It’s always been feet with him, but since we put the glue-on shoes on him and sent him up to Palm Meadows to train, he’s as good as I’ve ever seen him.”

Hy Kodiak Warrior drills

Hy Kodiak Warrior, one of the most promising 2-year-old stabled at Gulfstream Park this winter, worked five furlongs in 1:01.20 over a very fast track after the first renovation break on Friday. Hy Kodiak Warrior has crossed the finish line first in his last two starts, but was disqualified and placed second following an apparent three-quarter-length victory going a mile under first-level allowance conditions here Nov. 24.