Spirit Wind ends layoff with triumph in Sugar Swirl Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Spirit Wind, idle since finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Winning Colors and with only two works on her resume’ since that outing nearly seven months ago, caught a flyer leaving the gate and never looked back to register a half-length victory over even-money favorite Intrepid Daydream in Saturday’s $125,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Spirit Wind, a Jacks or Better homebred, was trained by Ralph Nicks for her first seven career starts, which included two stakes wins locally during the 2021-22 Gulfstream Park Championship meet. Nicks and Jacks or Better parted ways earlier this year, with the homebred daughter of Bahamian Squall transferred to trainer Carlos David, who said he’s had the filly for about a month. Her second and most recent work prior to the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl came at Palm Meadows - a half-mile on 49.60 seconds on Dec. 18.

With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard for the first time, Spirit Wind left her outside post in the field of eight fillies and mares full of run and quickly opened a clear lead. She set fractions of 22.23 and 45.30 for the opening half-mile, settled into the stretch with a comfortable advantage, then held sway while tiring and drifting some under late urging.

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Intrepid Daydream, who was purchased privately by current owner Myron Miller just eight days before the Sugar Swirl and came into the race riding a four-race winning streak, was well placed in the second flight for the opening half-mile. She continued willingly once settling for the drive and was gaining gradually on the winner at the end. Olivia Darling also rallied belatedly to finish another half-length farther back in third.

Spirit Wind completed six furlongs over a fast track in 1:10.58 and returned $8.40.

“That race at Churchill (Winning Colors) was a real demanding race so they (Jacks or Better) tried to give her a break, do right by the horse," said David, who currently has 10 horses in his barn for Jacks or Better. “I’ve had her about a month. I wanted to give her one more work, but we had the bad weather so she did a two-minute lick. I told Jose (Ortiz) she might need a race. I told him to just break good, there’s a lot of speed in the race, I just didn’t want to be hung out wide on the turn. Once she took the lead she relaxed real well, and then she took off again.”

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