Synthetic specialist Jazzy T favored for Dibona in Thursday allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Bobby Dibona likes it in Florida, especially this time of year. The Boston native has become a year-rounder in the Sunshine State after spending most of his 20-plus years of training at Northeast tracks.

“I think this is my sixth year of being year-round here,” Dibona said. “I spent 12 summers at Monmouth Park before deciding to stay in Florida. I tell everybody that if we get a good horse, we can take them anywhere in the world. But for the meat-and-potato kind of races, I’m comfortable with just staying put.”

One of Dibona’s stable stars is Jazzy T, who also likes it here. More to the point, she likes the Tapeta surface, which Gulfstream Park first began using as a third racing surface in September 2021. In 14 starts over the synthetic, the 5-year-old Verrazano mare has racked up six wins and six seconds, accounting for the vast majority of her $150,920 bankroll.

“She’s been outstanding,” said Dibona, who claimed Jazzy T for Michael Moriarty for $12,500 here last July.

“She shows up every time and is certainly a Tapeta horse. I think the spot we found for her Thursday is a nice one.”

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Jazzy T, with Leonel Reyes riding, is in for an optional $35,000 claiming tag and likely to be favored in the eighth race on Thursday, the only allowance on the nine-race card at Gulfstream. The 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race should be right up her alley, as her typical Beyer Speed Figure range in the low 80s gives her an apparent edge over her six opponents. Last out, Jazzy T finished second on Feb. 23 behind archrival Journeytothemoon in an optional-claiming starter, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 81.

Jazzy T will break from post 7. with Riveting Spirit (post 1, Jose Ortiz) and Lay the Groundwork (post 6, Irad Ortiz Jr.) as her top challengers. Sanura (post 3, Julien Leparoux) shows an 86 Beyer from her last start, but that was in March 2022 as she now returns from a year-plus layoff for Barclay Tagg.

Dibona, 61, ran his first career winner in February 2002 at Gulfstream before returning home to New England to run at Rockingham and Suffolk, both now defunct. His peak year earnings-wise was 2008, when the stable earned $907,259, and last year he came closest to surpassing that personal benchmark. Steal Sunshine, as winner of the Carry Back and Ellis Park Derby last summer, helped pad the 2022 total to $811,725.

Operating out of Barn 21 – which was subject to a quarantine for several weeks earlier in the championship meet – Dibona is upbeat on prospects for the coming months. Steal Sunshine, a 4-year-old colt owned by Carrie Brogden, will have Irad Ortiz Jr. riding in the seven-furlong Sir Shackleton on the April 1 Florida Derby undercard.

“His breeze here [Sunday] was spectacular,” said Dibona, “and I’m starting to think seven-eighths is probably his best distance. We just claimed a few more horses last week, too, so things are looking up for us right now.”

The nominal Thursday feature is part of a 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 4-9) that begins a five-day race week Wednesday with a $415,596 jackpot carryover. Gulfstream management has not yet determined whether the next Rainbow 6 forceout will be held on April 1 or 2.

First post Thursday is 12:40 p.m. Eastern. Mostly sunny skies and a high of 80 are in the local forecast.

◗ While much of the racing world will turn its attention Saturday to the Dubai World Cup and Louisiana Derby, a pair of $100,000 turf sprints for 3-year-olds will highlight an 11-race card at Gulfstream. Dr Oseran heads a field of seven colts and geldings in the Texas Glitter (race 4), while Sassy Nature and Bedtime Story are part of an oversubscribed lineup of fillies in the Melody of Colors (race 10).

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