No mistake, Gulfstream feature adds up to Grade 1 caliber

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A couple of Grade 1-caliber horses, Diamond Oops and Math Wizard, were entered Wednesday to compete for a mere $55,000 purse in Saturday’s main event, the one-mile Coaltown Handicap.

Diamond Oops was assigned high weight of 125 pounds for his first appearance since a fourth-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup 4 1/2 months earlier. In his previous start, the versatile Diamond Oops won the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector to ring down an outstanding 2019 campaign that featured second-place finishes in both the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt on dirt and Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile. Trained by Patrick Biancone, Diamond Oops also finished eighth following a poor start and wide trip in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

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Math Wizard won the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby before finishing his 3-year-old season with a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He has only started once in 2020, a disappointing eighth-place effort in the Grade 3 Razorback on Feb. 17 at Oaklawn Park. Math Wizard, who will carry 123 pounds, is training well for his return and will race with blinkers back on again for the Coaltown.

The Coaltown also attracted multiple stakes winner Noble Drama, hero of the Sunshine Millions Classic during the Championship meet and most recently runner-up behind the odds-on Network Effect in the seven-furlong Big Drama. He will pack 120 pounds Saturday.

“I know there might be a couple of good ones in there, but we just got beat last time by a horse” – Network Effect – “who might just be better than both of them,” said David Fawkes, Noble Drama’s trainer. “Irad [Ortiz Jr.], who rode Network Effect that day, told me after the race we just got beat by really, reallya nice horse who is just coming around. My horse came out of the race well, had a really good work last Sunday, and I like the distance for this race. I prefer one turn for this horse better than two.”

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Saturday’s card also will feature a mandatory force-out of the Rainbow 6 pool, which had gone unsolved for 18 consecutive programs through last Sunday, and not since the previous mandatory payout on May 8.

“We thought this would be the ideal time to offer the mandatory payout, one that would give us maximum exposure, on the Saturday between the Santa Anita Derby and Belmont Stakes,” said Gulfstream Park vice president of racing Mike Lakow on announcing the decision Wednesday.

A final pool of $8 million or more is expected, if the weather cooperates.