Whiskey Park takes on winners off solid debut victory

Whiskey Park will be looking to back up a notable debut win Saturday when he meets a seasoned cast of 3-year-olds that includes Fountain of Youth runner-up Le Dom Bro in the 10th race at Gulfstream Park. The one-mile feature carries an optional claiming price of $75,000.

Whiskey Park won his debut at seven furlongs July 6 at Gulfstream. He trailed early, advanced three wide on the turn, and steadily moved clear of his rivals in the stretch for a four-length win. It came after he overcame some adversity in both the race and leading up to his first career start.

“His last work [before his debut] kind of got interrupted,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said of a June 29 move at Palm Meadows. “As they broke from the gate, there was a loose horse and they kind of had to pull up. He ended up going three-eighths.

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“Going into the race, we felt like he probably would need the race. Likewise, he broke slowly from the gate. I thought overall it was a creditable effort to still win after all that. He should improve from the race. The drawback is he’s coming back a bit quick, but it’s probably one of his last chances to stay against straight 3-year-olds.”

Edgard Zayas has the mount from post 2. Whiskey Park is a son of Nyquist owned by C2 Racing Stable and Stefania Farms.

Joseph also trains Holiday Pay, who is coming off a 5 1/2-length win over Florida-breds in a first-level allowance April 19. It was a 6 1/2-furlong race at Gulfstream and with the win he improved his record to 2 for 5.

“He won well last time,” Joseph said. “I kind of thought he went the right direction. He got sick after and it took a little while for him to come around. He’s worked steadily since. We feel like his last couple of works have been really good. He’s going to run a big race, fingers crossed.”

Holiday Pay earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 80 for his effort last time, the same number put up by Whiskey Park. It’s the best last-race dirt Beyer in the field Saturday.

Drayden Van Dyke has the mount on Holiday Pay, who breaks from post 3 for Calypso Racing Stable.

Le Dom Bro was second in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in March to Dornoch, who has since captured both the Belmont Stakes and Haskell. Le Dom Bro also was stakes-placed in the Swale, running second in the seven-furlong race held in February.

Emisael Jaramillo has the mount for trainer Oscar Gonzalez, who is removing blinkers and adding Lasix for Le Dom Bro. The start Saturday will be the horse’s first since March, and he has worked consecutive bullets in his last two drills at Palm Meadows, going a half-mile in 47 seconds from the gate and five furlongs in 1:00.20.

Saybrook owns the field’s best Beyer, a 92 for a first-level allowance win over Florida-breds in a seven-furlong race May 19 at Gulfstream. He has raced once since, and finished fourth in the Carry Back on July 5. Saybrook will break from the rail with Miguel Vasquez aboard for trainer John Vinson.

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