Win machine Rezasrolex switches to turf

Rezasrolex, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Joe Orseno, has been a rare but brilliant sight in the past year. Despite making just one start in that span, he maintains a four-race winning streak and will be hard to dismiss in the sixth at Gulfstream Park on Sunday, a starter allowance.

“He’s a very talented, fast horse,” Orseno said. “I’ve got some pretty good five-eighths sprinters, and I think he’s right up there with all of them. He’s just a young horse that’s going to get better and better.”

When Orseno and owner Robert Cotran claimed the gelding for $16,000 in December 2023, it took several months for him to find the winner’s circle for his new connections. Then the victories started pouring in, and since March 2024, he has won six times in seven starts, all on the Tapeta at Gulfstream. He will switch to turf for the first time in nearly two years in Sunday’s five-furlong sprint.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Orseno had big plans as Rezasrolex continued moving forward last year, but the gelding missed considerable time at the end of his 3-year-old season. He returned in May and delivered another impressive winning effort after dueling on the front end.

“He’s just a young, maturing horse,” Orseno said. “All these little baby growing pains are behind him, and he’s doing so well.”

Orseno also entered 5-year-old gelding Cosmic Speculation in the field of nine, but he does not intend to run him unless Rezasrolex scratches.

Rezasrolex is one of seven runners in the field switching to turf with more experience on another surface. Irideo, a stakes winner on turf trained by Amador Sanchez, should have an advantage, but the 9-year-old gelding has typically preferred a mile in his 33-race career and has made just one start at five furlongs.

Yes I Am Free, the other 9-year-old gelding with extensive turf experience, ran poorly on synthetic last time out and could benefit from class relief in this starter allowance. The salty gelding made his first start for Laura Cazares in January, and the trainer has been hard at work trying to recapture some of the two-time graded stakes winner’s old form.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has two runners in the field switching to turf after long stints on other surfaces. Of a Revolution, a 6-year-horse, has been overwhelmed in a stout older dirt male division at Gulfstream this year, finishing well behind familiar rivals in three listed stakes and two allowances since March.

Mr Narcissistic, a 7-year-old gelding, has finished in the money in 18 straight starts on synthetic going back to November 2023. He has not tried the turf since his days at Woodbine in the summer of 2022.

Joseph’s runners have surface-related questions to answer throughout the day at Gulfstream. In the 10th race, 2-year-old filly Dandona will make her debut at a mile on turf after selling for $1,050,000 in April at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. Joseph said that the Tiz the Law filly needs distance, so he is taking a chance on the grass while he waits for longer races on dirt.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.