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‘Dean’ Delivers with Sharp G3 Smile Sprint Win
7/1/2023
*Bob Umphrey Sprint, Kaplan Memorial Featured Sunday *
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Stonehedge LLC’s Dean Delivers, who had already established himself as an exceptional racehorse while finishing first or second in in 11 of 15 previous starts, distinguished himself as a graded-stakes winner Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Sent to post as the 6-5 favorite in a field of eight, multiple graded stakes-placed Dean Delivers produced a career-best effort to score a dominating 2 ¼-length victory in the $100,000 Smile Sprint (G1).
The 4-year-old homebred gelding was rushed to the lead by jockey Emisael Jaramillo on the backstretch, and the Florida-bred son of Cajun Breeze was in complete control thereafter, completing six furlongs in 1:09.28 after setting fractions of 21.88 and 44.30 seconds for the first half-mile.
“Today, he drew the 1 hole, and we figured if he broke good and clean and the rail was open, why not go? It was totally up to Jaramillo as to what to do,” said trainer Michael Yates, who had saddled Dean Delivers for an off-the-pace victory in the May 20 Big Drama at Gulfstream.
Big and Classy, who had won his six prior starts, finished second in his stakes debut, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Todo Fino, who was closest in pursuit of loose-on-the-lead Dean Delivers before tiring.
In addition to being elated with Dean Delivers effort, Yates derived personal satisfaction in having campaigned the hard-nosed Cajun Breeze during his racing career before deciding that the son of Congrats had what it took to make a successful Florida Stallion. Cajun Breeze now stands at Stonehedge Farm.
‘I’m over-the-moon happy,” Yates said. “It’s a big deal.”
Dean Delivers earned a $25,000 bonus offered by the FTBOA to a Florida-bred winner of the Smile Sprint. He also earned a credit of $30,000 toward entry fees for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita Nov. 4.
“It’s not out of the question. It will be a group decision. We’ll enjoy this,” said Yates, who said a decision on Dean Delivers’ next start will be decided upon meeting with Stonehedge LLC’s Marilyn Campbell and farm manager Larry King.
Bob Umphrey Sprint, Kaplan Memorial Featured Sunday
Barry Croft-trained Hope in Him is rated as the 3-1 morning-line favorite in a highly competitive field of eight for Sunday’s Bob Umphrey Sprint at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old gelded son of Chitu has distinguished himself as a Tapeta specialist, having won his last five starts on the all-weather surface. Hope in Him and two other entrants, are eligible for the FTBOA $25,000 win-only bonus available to a Florida-bred winner.
Renaldo Richards-trained Wora, a winner of three of five starts in starter allowance company on Tapeta since being claimed for $35,000, is rated second at 7-2 in the Umphrey, which is carded as Race 8 on a nine-race program.
Bobby DiBona-trained Steal Sunshine, a multiple-stakes winner who is dropping from an off-the-board finish in the May 6 Churchill Downs (G1), has been assigned highweight of 123 pounds for the $60,000 William A. Kaplan Memorial. The Race 6 overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up honors the late Bill Kaplan, who trained 2011 champion female sprinter Musical Romance. Kaplan saddled the Florida-bred daughter of Concorde’s Tune for a victory in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs and came back the next year to win the Inside Information (G2) and Princess Rooney (G1) at Gulfstream in 2012.
Michael Yates-trained Cajun’s Magic, who is coming off a front-running optional claiming allowance win, is the 122-pound second highweight for the 1 1/16-mile Kaplan. Both Steal Sunshine and Cajun’s Magic ran in the 2022 Curlin Florida Derby (G1).
David Fawkes-trained Noble Drama, a multiple-stakes winner with more than $820,000 in earnings, and Amador Sanchez-trained Mbagnick, a Group 1 winner in Chile making his first U.S. start, are also regarded as top contenders.
The Kaplan and Umphrey will be featured in Sunday’s Rainbow 6 sequence that will span Races 4-9.