Lasting Legacy brings big Beyers into World of Trouble Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – One week ahead of another huge Saturday at Gulfstream Park, sprinters will take the spotlight when a pair of six-furlong stakes anchor a 12-race program that starts at noon Eastern.

The Grade 3, $100,000 World of Trouble Sprint and the $75,000 Any Limit are the features on a terrific card that also includes three allowances, four maiden-specials, and two starter-optionals.

Fields of eight were entered in both the World of Trouble, for older horses, and the Any Limit, for 3-year-old fillies. Both are part of a Rainbow 6 sequence (races 7-12) that began with an empty jackpot Thursday after being swept Monday by a solo winning ticket worth more than $1.2 million.

A third six-furlong stakes, the Hutcheson, was scheduled for this Saturday, but it has been tentatively postponed to March 1 after failing to attract a sufficient number of entries.

:: Get a closer look at the Gulfstream Park card with the DRF Clocker Report

Next Saturday, Feb. 29, Gulfstream will card a pivotal Kentucky Derby prep race, the Fountain of Youth, and eight other graded stakes.

This Saturday’s forecast calls for a high of 71 and a chance of showers.

World of Trouble Sprint (race 9)

Lasting Legacy has earned triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in each of his last three starts and will be making his 6-year-old debut after finishing a late-running second behind Diamond Oops in his most recent start here, the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector on Dec. 21.

Jason Servis assumed the care of Lasting Legacy last year for Gary and Mary West, and the results have been what many have come to expect from the 62-year-old trainer. Lasting Legacy has hit new heights in short order, and he’s sure to come favored when breaking from post 2 under Paco Lopez. A victory would brings things full circle for Servis, who trained the race namesake, World of Trouble, to win 8 of 11 starts and more than $1.2 million. Until this year, the race had been known as the Gulfstream Park Sprint.

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Among the top challengers to Lasting Legacy is Fast Pass (post 6, Cristian Torres), who has rebounded with two sharp efforts following a 14th-place finish in the Group 1 Korea Sprint in September for trainer Peter Walder. The 7-year-old gelding owns a 4-3-3 record from 11 local starts.

“It seems like he’s become a fan favorite around here,” Walder said. “It’s amazing he came back from Korea to run those two bang-up races.”

Outside possibilities include Epic Dreamer, Jackson, Yorkton, and a second Servis starter, Admiral Lynch.

Any Limit (race 11)

It wasn’t long after Frank’s Rockette made an eye-catching debut at Churchill Downs in June that she was assimilated into trainer Bill Mott’s main New York string.

From there, Frank’s Rockette further distinguished herself with runner-up finishes as the favorite in three straight high-profile stakes for 2-year-old fillies – the Grade 2 Adirondack, Grade 1 Spinaway, and Grade 1 Frizette.

Withheld from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Frank’s Rockette got a short break before returning to training at Mott’s winter base at Payson Park, where the Into Mischief filly has been on a regular breeze schedule since early January in advance of her 3-year-old debut. With those sparkling credentials, she’s sure to come a huge favorite in the Any Limit when having John Velazquez aboard from post 5.

A clear second choice among the opposition is Sound Machine (post 2, Tyler Gaffalione), a last-out winner of the Jan. 4 Glitter Woman for her still red-hot trainer, Saffie Joseph Jr. The other six seem in a rugged spot.

The Any Limit honors the 2003 foal who was a multiple graded stakes-winning sprinter for the late Allen Jerkens.