Milestone for Saez as Figarella's Queen takes Sanibel Island

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It was a tale of two photos for trainer Gustavo Delgado in the pair of 3-year-old turf stakes run Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

One race after his Speed Franco lost a neck decision to Therapist in the $150,000 Cutler Bay Stakes for 3-year-old males, Delgado watched as Figarella’s Queen held off Ferdinanda by a nose to win the $150,000 Sanibel Island Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

“That close,” to winning both, Delgado said, holding his thumb and forefinger inches apart. “That’s part of the game.”

Figarella’s Queen was ridden to victory by Luis Saez, who with that victory set a record for wins at a Gulfstream Park Championship meet with 133, eclipsing the mark of 132 set by Javier Castellano in 2013-14.

“Man, that was unbelievable, I feel so glad,” said Saez, who rode seven winners on one card twice during this meet. “We tried to do it and thank God we did it.”

Saez was also thankful for getting away with an easy lead on Figarella’s Queen, as she set fractions of 24.29 seconds for the quarter, 48.48 for the half, and 1:11.79 for six furlongs.

“That was the thing I was thinking, break good and be in front, try to settle down and everything came so well,” Saez said.

Figarella’s Queen, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro owned by Grupo 7C Racing Stable, still had something left with which to finish and she just held off a four-wide rallying Ferdinanda under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Figarella’s Queen covered the mile in 1:34.95 and returned $19. Ferdinanda finished second by a half-length over Got Stormy. It was a length back to 9-5 favorite Best Performance.

“Very happy with the race,” Delgado said. “I hope for the best for the second half of the year.”

Delgado said he would look at stakes in New York and Kentucky for Figarella’s Queen and Speed Franco.

Therapist wins Cutler Bay

While Ortiz just missed aboard Ferdinanda in the Sanibel Island, he was able to rally Therapist from the back of the pack to a neck victory over Speed Franco in the $150,000 Cutler Bay.

Closers had not been faring well lately on Gulfstream’s extremely firm turf course, but Therapist was able to use his terrific late foot to take advantage of a quick pace – they went three quarters in 1:09.95 – to get the victory.

Ortiz said he got shuffled back “a little more than I would have liked, but it was too early to move, so I just waited and he’s much better on the outside.”

Therapist, a New York-bred son of Freud owned by Oak Bluff Stables and trained by Christophe Clement, covered the mile in 1:33.42 and returned $6 as the second choice.

“They went quick early on – three quarters in 1:09-and-change – Irad never panicked and he does have a great turn of foot,” Clement said. “In all of his races he always finishes very well.”

For Therapist, it was his fourth win from five starts and third stakes victory. At 2, he won the Laurel Futurity and Awad. He was coming off a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes here on March 3.

Clement said it is possible Therapist could wheel back in the $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct on April 21.