Sea of Erin impresses in maiden special weight victory

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Sea of Erin turned in one of the more impressive efforts of the week here, rating in midpack before drawing off to win a $20,600 maiden special weight race by three lengths on the turf here Saturday. Ridden by leading jockey Antonio Gallardo, he paid $5.80 as the favorite in a field of nine and stopped the clock for 1 1/16 miles in 1:38.79.

Eddie Kenneally trains Sea of Erin, a 3-year-old Pennsylvania-bred colt by Giant’s Causeway, for William L. Pape, who bred the horse with Anne S. Pape. The horse had made three starts on turf at Keeneland and Churchill Downs last fall, with one runner-up finish and one third.

“I knew for sure he could win this race easy,” Gallardo said. “I think he’ll be a nice horse. He has a lot of class. He relaxed behind horses, and when I asked him a little bit, he went. He did everything perfect.”

Ishaq tunes up for Pasco

Ishaq, the unbeaten winner of the Inaugural Stakes here last month, worked five furlongs in 1:02 at Gulfstream Park West on Friday. The colt remains on track for the $100,000 Pasco Stakes, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds here Jan. 23, according to Efren Loza Jr., who trains the homebred son of Harlan’s Holiday for St. George Stable.

Ishaq was a flashy 10 1/4-length winner in a maiden special weight race here Nov. 28 before taking the six-furlong Inaugural by a neck over Formal Summation on Dec. 19.