Search for new stars begins as Gulfstream Park opens Championship meet

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – In the opening month of the 2018-19 Gulfstream Park Championship meet, Maximum Security was competing in a maiden-claiming race and Bricks and Mortar was running in an allowance race. At year’s end, the pair are among the leading contenders to win arguably the industry’s two most prestigious awards, the 3-year-old championship and Horse of the Year, respectively.

New stars emerge from relative anonymity each and every winter at Gulfstream Park. Who they might be this season will start to be determined Friday when the 2019-2020 Championship meet opens with the first of 89 programs through March 29.

Post time is 12:35 p.m.

The racing schedule and cast of characters will remain virtually the same here this winter as last, with a few minor exceptions. The $28.6 million stakes schedule will again be highlighted by the Pegasus World Championship card, to be run Jan. 25, eight days before the Super Bowl, which will be played in Miami in 2020. The $9 million Pegasus World Cup will anchor an outstanding program that also features the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, the race that catapulted Bricks and Mortar on the road to a perfect season and potential Horse of the Year honors in 2019.

The 3-year-old program at Gulfstream Park provides a springboard toward Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown success. Maximum Security emerged from the maiden ranks to win the Florida Derby and five weeks later finish first before being disqualified from his apparent victory in the Kentucky Derby.

The Grade 2 Holy Bull on Feb. 2 and Grade 2 Fountain of Youth four weeks later are the two major stepping-stones to the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby on March 28. Among the top 2-year-olds expected to stable in South Florida this winter and participate in one or more of those events are Tiz the Law, Independence Hall, Mayfield, Dennis’ Moment, and Gouverneur Morris.

Todd Pletcher had his unprecedented reign of 15 straight Gulfstream Park training titles snapped earlier this year by Jorge Navarro. Pletcher will have more than 100 horses stabled at Palm Beach Downs this winter in an attempt to recapture the crown from Navarro, who also will be well stocked to defend his title. Almost all the major outfits from New York and Kentucky who regularly winter throughout South Florida are expected back again this season. Their ranks will be bolstered by several new faces, among them Rodolphe Brisset and Ben Colebrook, according to Mike Lakow, Gulfstream’s new vice president of racing.

Defending Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. will be back in quest of a second straight local riding title. He’ll be joined by his brother Jose and an array of talented riders that make up the deepest jockey colony in the country. The group also includes Hall of Famers John Velazquez and Javier Castellano, Paco Lopez, Luis Saez, Tyler Gaffalione, Julien Leparoux, and Joe Bravo.

Along with the outstanding racing here this winter, fans will be treated to $20 million in renovations throughout the facility. Many of the renovations are ongoing, topped by a state-of-the-art, 100-by-30-foot infield tote board, an enhanced sound system, and a new open-air dining terrace on the second floor.

Lakow was upbeat when talking about the upcoming meet.

“It may take some of the Northern guys a little time to get settled, but the opening-day program is good, the Claiming Crown nominations are very strong, and the stakes schedule, as always here, is terrific,” Lakow said. “We’re looking to run as many turf races as we can, as long as the weather cooperates, which translates to bigger field sizes and larger handle, so I’m expecting great racing throughout the meet. We also brought in Dave Bailey as our new racing secretary. He’s respected and trusted by the horsemen, and I’m confident he’ll bring something very positive to the program as well.”

Friday’s opening-day feature is a $48,000 optional-claiming event that drew a field of seven at one mile on the main track. The race should provide bettors with a good challenge choosing among leading contenders such as Fortune Cookie, Green Mansions, Cool Arrow, Richard the Great, and Baby I’m Perfect.

Fortune Cookie is the lone Northern invader in the lineup. Off a series of disappointing efforts at Laurel and Monmouth Park, he returns to the track over which he’s had the bulk of his success. He has posted five of his seven wins at Gulfstream Park, including an open $35,000 claimer, also at a mile, for which he earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure last winter.

Green Mansions won a first-level allowance race here, also at a mile, on Sept. 22. Cool Arrow has been knocking on the door against similar company at Gulfstream Park West in his last two starts, while Baby I’m Perfect, who projects to be the speed of the field, steps up in company after posting a wire-to-wire tally against slightly lesser optional-claiming company on Oct. 23 at Gulfstream West.