Gunnevera's return spices up weekend stakes action

A five-week drought between six-figure stakes at Gulfstream Park will come to an end this weekend, but it’s not just the leadoff events in the popular Florida Sire Stakes series that will catch the attention of racing fans.

Gunnevera also will be back in action at the south Florida track as a huge favorite in the $100,000 Tangelo Stakes, adding to the allure of a weekend that also will include the $100,000 Dr. Fager and $100,000 Desert Vixen on Saturday.

Gulfstream was to hold a double draw of entries Wednesday for both the Saturday and Sunday cards. The Tangelo is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, but track officials were considering flip-flopping it with the $75,000 Eight Miles East, which is in the condition book for Sunday.

Either way, Gunnevera is ready. The Dialed In colt has been regrouped at Gulfstream Park West by trainer Antonio Sano since finishing fifth in the May 20 Preakness, maintaining a regular work schedule while being pointed to a re-entry into top-class races. The stretch-running colt’s final prerace breeze came last Saturday, when he went five furlongs in 1:01.40 over a fast track with Edgard Zayas up.

Sano is using the Tangelo as a prep for either the Aug. 26 Travers at Saratoga or the Sept. 23 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx. Zayas has the mount for the Tangelo.

Gunnevera has earned more than $1.2 million in 11 career starts, with a 5 3/4-length victory in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream in March remaining his peak effort.

Only a few other 3-year-olds are expected for the Tangelo, at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. Gulfstream stakes coordinator Michael Costanzo said Front Loaded, Prince Tito, Unbridled Holiday, “and hopefully a couple more” are among the expected opposition.

Meanwhile, larger fields are expected for the twin six-furlong stakes for Florida-bred juveniles, with trainers Ralph Nicks and Stanley Gold figuring prominently in both.

Nicks is planning to run three in the Dr. Fager – Capital S, Easter Vigil, and Phantom Ro – while Gold counters with Dunk, who could be favored off a July 15 maiden romp. Majestic Secret is among the other colts and geldings set to go.

Awesome Mass, another sharp recent maiden winner for Gold, is among the fillies for the Desert Vixen, along with Go Astray, Sittin on Cotton, Valid Interest, and probably five or six more, including one or two from Nicks.

The Saturday stakes are the first major events at Gulfstream since the July 1 Summit of Speed. Gulfstream then will go another four weeks without a six-figure stakes until the second legs of the Florida Sire Stakes, the $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan’s Girl, on Sept. 2. The final Florida Sire Stakes races will be run Oct. 7.