Officials have high hopes for spring-summer meet

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park’s concerted effort to further improve its growing year-round racing program begins Thursday with the opening of the 110-day spring-summer session, which runs through Sept. 30.

The spring-summer meet will feature a stakes schedule that consists of 34 races worth more than $4.1 million in purses. The track has also instituted a lucrative incentive program through an agreement with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association that has the potential to increase purses to nearly $300,000 daily.

The stakes program will again be highlighted by the Summit of Speed on June 30, which features the Grade 2 Princess Rooney and Grade 3 Smile Sprint. The Princess Rooney will again be a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. The Smile Sprint has lost similar status for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint despite the fact last year’s winner, Imperial Hint, finished second in the BC Sprint.

The longstanding Florida Sire Series for 2-year-olds will also be featured again throughout the summer, with the three legs carded on Aug. 4, Sept. 1, and Sept. 29, concluding with the In Reality and Susan’s Girl divisions.

Racing will be conducted primarily on a Thursday-through-Sunday basis throughout the meet.

Todd Pletcher, Danny Gargan, and Eddie Plesa Jr. are among the notable trainers planning on keeping horses in South Florida for the first time this summer. They’ll join year-round regulars such as Mike Maker, Ralph Nicks, David Fawkes, and Antonio Sano.

“When Gulfstream started its year-round program in 2013, the spring and summer product was lacking in depth and quality,” said Gulfstream Park general manager Bill Badgett. “We now have a program that is getting stronger each year, and many of the top horsemen who participate in our Championship Meet are now leaving horses year round in Florida to support our program. This spring and summer promises to be our best yet.”

Thursday’s opening-day card consists of only eight races topped by the $47,000 main event, a one-mile optional claimer for fillies and mares. The field of six is led by My Favorite Gift, who returns to the main track off fourth- and fifth-place finishes in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant and Herecomesthebride stakes on turf. She is trained by Gustavo Delgado.

Pletcher will counter with Bernadetta, who returns to the dirt off a sixth-place finish in her turf bow on Feb. 15.

Miss Contessa, the only member of the field with more than a single victory, also figures to be a major player for trainer Joe Catanese III. Miss Contessa posted her fourth tally four weeks ago, beating mid-level starter allowance and optional-claiming foes by a neck.

There will be a Rainbow 6 carryover of $43,972 when racing resumes on Thursday.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who plans to remain locally at least through the end of June, closed out an outstanding Championship meet with a hat trick on Sunday’s closing day card. Both Luis Saez, who concluded the session with a record 137 victories, and Nik Suarez posted riding doubles on closing day. Suarez, the leading rider at Monmouth Park a year ago, is also planning on remaining in South Florida this summer, his agent, Jay Rushing, confirmed on Monday.