Tank keeps rolling with English Channel Stakes victory
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Tank, a 3-year-old colt trained by Carlos David, was rewarded for his patience in his second straight stakes victory on Saturday. The speedy Florida-bred colt won the $80,000 English Channel Stakes at Gulfstream Park, successfully stalking an early leader again after winning a statebred stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in similar fashion last time out.
“I always try to go to the lead with him, but last time, he settled back and stalked, and that was also a really good performance by him,” David said. “I knew we didn’t have to grab the lead this time either. If he sits second and kind of stays close, I think he runs well like that too.”
The English Channel seemed to feature several potential pacesetters, but even-money favorite Forged Steel quickly settled the debate when he took a 1 1/2-length lead through an opening quarter-mile in 24 seconds. Tank settled behind him in second, saving some ground before launching a bold move on the far turn.
Jockey Emisael Jaramillo continued to encourage Tank in the stretch and stuck a head out in front, but Forged Steel gave him trouble digging in on the rail. While those two sparred, Win With Faith, runner-up behind Tank last time out at Tampa Bay Downs, flew home from seventh to make a late bid at the wire.
The early leader and deep closer were both involved at the end, but Tank outlasted them to earn a grinding win by a half-length, completing the mile in 1:33.23. He paid $12.60 to win. Win With Faith had to settle for second again and finished a neck ahead of Forged Steel.
David’s 3-year-old colt ran in two open-company stakes at Gulfstream last year, finishing second in the $95,000 Armed Forces in November before a disappointing start in the $115,000 Pulpit later in the month. He was a front-runner in all but one start between September 2024 and February 2025, but after two stakes victories, this new stalking style seems to be suiting him well.
The trainer said that he considered sending Tank to New York this month but eventually decided to keep him in Florida a little longer. He will soon send him north for several starts this summer.
Starship Impulsive wires Honey Ryder
Starship Impulsive, a 3-year-filly trained by Steven Dwoskin, turned away 1-2 favorite Spirited Boss to win the $80,000 Honey Ryder Stakes in wire-to-wire fashion at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. Coming off a front-running score in an allowance, the filly won her stakes debut at one mile in nearly identical fashion.
Dwoskin’s filly wasn’t necessarily hustled on the front end through an opening quarter-mile in 23.69 seconds, but she wasn’t alone either. It’s Witchcraft, a 13-1 outsider, sat outside of her early and made a serious bid for the lead on the far turn. Spirited Boss, under a tight hold from jockey Edgar Perez, sat just behind them with bundles of pent-up energy throughout the backstretch.
Despite the early pressure, jockey Leonel Reyes had to quicken slightly but didn’t hustle Starship Impulsive through a half-mile in 46.34 seconds. When the filly turned away It’s Witchcraft, she opened up to lead by 1 1/2 lengths in the stretch.
“I had no doubt about her victory,” Reyes said. “From the start, I felt she was a winner, and at the start of the home stretch, I asked her for something extra and she responded like a good horse.”
Spirited Boss, winner of the $165,000 Sanibel Island trained by Jose D’Angelo, tried to rally late after saving all the ground behind the front pair early on, but she could not put a dent in the final margin. Starship Impulsive dashed away to win by 1 3/4 lengths, completing the mile in 1:33.73 and paid $7.80 to win.
Curlaine, a maiden winner in her turf debut for trainer Christophe Clement last time out, picked up the pieces to finish third, but the closer never challenged for a victory. After turning away her fellow front-runner, Starship Impulsive only had to deal with one serious stretch challenger in the field of seven.
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