Run Classic surges from far back to take Gulfstream Park Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The long flight home from Saudi Arabia might have gotten just a little shorter for trainer Jose D’Angelo on Saturday after his Run Classic rallied from the rear of the field to an impressive 3 1/4-length victory over defending champion Candy Man Rocket in the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint.

D’Angelo, who took over the training of Run Classic during the fall, accompanied his promising 3-year-old Bentornato to Saudi Arabia, where he finished third earlier Saturday behind the heavily favored Forever Young in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby.

Making his first start since dead-heating for a win in a high-priced optional claiming and allowance at Churchill Downs on May 4, Run Classic dropped to near the rear of the eight-horse field, leaving the backstretch of the six-furlong Gulfstream Sprint.

With Javier Castellano aboard for the first time, Run Classic angled five wide while commencing his bid approaching the stretch, finished full of run out near the center of the course, readily overtook Candy Man Rocket at midstretch and won going away.

Candy Man Rocket, running for the first time since finishing third in the Grade 2 John Nerud Stakes at Belmont Park on July 1, advanced outside horses to gain control from the tiring Long Range Toddy after five furlongs, could not resist the winner but outlasted the late-striding Loco Abarrio by a nose to finish second while suffering his first loss in five local starts.

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The tiring Long Range Toddy, Dean Delivers, Hurricane J, Ironstone, Swirvin and Scaramouche were well spread out, in that order, behind the winner at the finish.

Run Classic, a 6-year-old son of Runhappy, was Grade 3-placed last year with former trainer Bret Calhoun. Owned by Tom Durant, Run Classic completed six furlongs over a fast track in 1:09.81 seconds and returned $10.20.

“Our concern is that he didn’t run for a little while and they told me not to rush him out of the gate. He’s going to finish, but you don’t want to hook the speed,” Castellano said. “There was a lot of speed in the race, we had the inside post. I tried to ride a smart race and everything worked out great. There was a good, fast pace. I laid back a little bit and went outside and let him roll at the top of the stretch. I really liked the way he took off at the top of the stretch. He’s a really nice horse. All the credit to the trainer to bring the horse back off a long period of time and be ready for a stakes race. I’m just the pilot and I enjoyed the ride.”

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