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Opus Forty Two In Peak Form for Saturday’s G3 Royal Delta
2/15/2024
PDJF Fundraiser Set for Friday, Saturday, Sunday at Gulfstream
Candy Man Rocket Tops GP Sprint Nominations List
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Mark Grier’s Opus Forty Two is scheduled to seek her first graded-stakes victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Royal Delta (G3), entering the 1 1/16-mile feature for older fillies and mares in peak form.
The Arnaud Delacour-trained 4-year-old filly, who was second in the Delaware Oaks (G3) last season, has clearly established herself as a formidable two-turn performer in recent starts.
“She seems to settle much better. She was more one-dimensional last year at this time. She had to be on the lead or up close, otherwise she would fight and not settle very well,” Delacour said. “She has learned to relax and come with a run, which is encouraging going two turns.”
Opus Forty Two employed her speed to capture the seven-furlong Gasparilla at Tampa Bay Downs last season, but her headstrong running style didn’t serve her well around one-turn in the seven-furlong Beaumont (G2) at Keeneland.
“It took us a while to figure her out. She would show a lot of speed. We ran her in a few ambitious spots, including at Keeneland, and she didn’t fire,” Delacour said. “We had to rethink what we were doing. Going two turns has really made her move forward.”
Opus Forty Two is coming off a gritty and impressive victory in the 1 1/16-mile Wayward Lass at Tampa Bay Downs Jan. 13.
“She saved ground tracking the speed. On paper, there was going to be a lot of speed, so we just sat quietly behind them.” Delacoeur said. “She got in a little trouble [on the turn] so she had to steady and come around. She really found another gear when she was in the clear.”
Daniel Centeno has the return mount for the Royal Delta, in which Opus Forty Two will clash with Todd Pletcher-trained Tizzy in the Sky, the 2-1 morning-line favorite who finished second in the Dec. 2 Go For Wand (G3) at Aqueduct; and Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Maryquitecontrary, a Grade 2 winner who is slated to make her first start around two turns.
PDJF Fundraiser Set for Friday, Saturday, Sunday at Gulfstream
A Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund will hold a fundraiser at Gulfstream Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Fans making a $25 donation to the PDJF will have a choice of receiving a pre-signed bobblehead honoring Hall of Famer John Velazquez, two-time defending Championship Meet titlist Irad Ortiz Jr., Jose Ortiz or Tyler Gaffalione.
The fundraiser will be held in the Breezeway all three days 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., when fans may have a chance to meet their favorite jockeys during their downtime on a busy weekend.
Candy Man Rocket Tops GP Sprint Nominations List
Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.’s Candy Man Rocket tops a list of 15 nominees for the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint, a six-furlong dash for older horses scheduled for Feb. 24.
Undefeated in four career starts at Gulfstream Park for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the 6-year-old son of Candy Ride has been idle since finishing third in the July 1 John Nerud (G2) at Belmont Park. He scored a 1 ½-length victory in the Runhappy (G3) at Belmont in his prior start.
Candy Man Rocket capped a three-race winning streak at Gulfstream during the 2022-2023 Championship Meet with a two-length victory in the Gulfstream Park Sprint.
The Mott trainee broke his maiden in his second career start on Jan. 9, 2021 in his only other race over the Gulfstream track.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher is represented on the Gulfstream Park Sprint nominations list by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable and Gainesway Stable’s graded-stakes winner Wit, who has won stakes on both dirt and turf. The 5-year-old son of Practical Joke won the 2022 Bay Shore (G3) at seven furlongs. Grade 1 stakes-placed on turf, Wit most recently finished third in the Oct. 7 Belmont Turf Sprint that was transferred to a sloppy main track.
Tequesta Racing Inc. and Jupiter Leasing Co.’s Ironstone is another graded-stakes winner on the noms list, having captured the 2022 Ontario Derby on Woodbine’s Tapeta course after being beaten by less than a length in the Prince of Wales at Fort Erie. The Renico Lefond trainee cut back to six furlongs to finish fourth in the six-furlong Kennedy Road (G2) at Woodbine.
Veb Racing Corp.’s Long Range Toddy, who has two of four starts on the comeback trail, is also prominent on the Gulfstream Park Sprint noms list. The Victor Barboza Jr. trainee, who captured the 2019 Rebel (G2) at Oaklawn before finishing off the board in the Kentucky Derby (G1), is coming off a fourth-place finish behind defending champion Sibelius in the Mr. Prospector (G3) at Gulfstream.
C2 Racing Stable LLC’s Mish has been nominated to the Gulfstream Park Sprint after finishing second in the Mr. Prospector, beaten by just a neck by Sibelius. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 7-year-old gelding has won seven of 17 career starts at Gulfstream.