HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Everyone who watched the last race at Gulfstream Park on March 6 should come to the same conclusion. Okiro was much the best horse that day, overcoming a slow start and a very wide trip to rally from last down the backstretch to a one-length victory at odds of 28-1 for trainer Jose Garoffalo. The big question Saturday, when Okiro returns against virtually the same field going the same five furlongs on turf in a $75,000 overnight handicap, is can he repeat that performance while a much shorter price? A field of 10 was entered for Saturday’s main event, which includes the second- through sixth-place finishers from the second-level allowance that Okiro won four weeks earlier. The race is expected to scratch down to no more than eight starters with both Xy Speed and Esperon entered back in an easier spot here Sunday. :: Play Gulfstream Park with confidence! DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports are available now.  Okiro had not won a race of any kind since capturing the Animal Kingdom Stakes over the synthetic course at Turfway Park in March 2024. While he has run some big races on grass during his career, he had never crossed the finish line first in a turf race in eight previous tries. His lone grass victory came via the disqualification of Esperon in an allowance here in December 2023. Okiro had been competitive in a pair of upper-level allowance dashes on the turf here last fall and early this winter, giving Garoffalo the confidence his horse was capable of springing the upset in his most recent start. “The only thing that surprised me last time is that he paid that much,” said Garoffalo. “He is a stakes winner and had been running very competitively in similar conditions in some of his previous races. The big difference for me was that he came into the race 100 percent, something that has not always been the case in the past.” Garoffalo acknowledges that the early pace scenario in Okiro’s last outing proved a big advantage. “Every time they run fast on the lead, he comes from behind very hard at the end,” said Garoffalo. Whether that will be the case on Saturday remains to be seen. As a result of his recent victory, Okiro will go postward the co-highweight at 122 pounds along with Extendo and Asher’s Edge in what according to the weight assignments projects to be an extremely open race. He may also be at a bit of a disadvantage having to break from the rail. “I’m not happy with the post,” said Garoffalo. “Other than that, I’m pretty confident he can run big again. And the fact there figures to be two scratches and a smaller field should mean less traffic for him when he makes his run.” Okiro was followed across the wire last month, in order, by Extendo, Mattingly, Society’s Thunder, Masseto, and Test Factor. Extendo and Mattingly, both trained by Joe Orseno, figure to be prominent again in the rematch. Extendo was beaten just a length by Okiro despite setting a contested pace in the pair’s previous encounter, while Mattingly was arguably second best that day, finishing another length back in third after rallying wide off the turn and taking up in traffic while appearing full of run through midstretch. The outing was also the first in seven months for Mattingly, who was a stakes winner over the local course at 2. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.