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Run Classic Rallies for Gulfstream Sprint
2/24/2024
Courtlandt, McGaughey Heating Up
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Estimated at $700,000
Pegasus World Cup Runner-Up Senor Buscador Wins Saudi, Octane Wins Razorback
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Tom Durant’s graded stakes-placed Run Classic, ridden by Javier Castellano and trained by Jose D’Angelo, drove past defending champion Candy Man Rocket down the stretch to win Saturday’s $125,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint by 3 ¼ lengths.
Run Classic, a 6-year-old son of Runhappy who finished third last year in the Mineshaft (G3) at Fair Grounds, was making his first start since May 4. He covered the six furlongs in 1:09.81. Candy Man Rocket, 8-5, held the place over Loco Abarrio.
Seventh past a :22.18 opening quarter mile set by Long Range Toddy and Hurricane J, Castellano moved Run Classic four-wide around the turn as Candy Man Rocket took the lead entering the stretch. But just above the sixteenth pole, Run Classic drove past the favorite and to the finish line for his fifth win in 12 starts.
“Our concern is that he didn’t run for a little while and they told me not to rush him out of the gate,” Castellano said. “He’s going to finish, but you don’t want to hook the speed. There was a lot of speed in the race, we had the inside post. If we break to go to the lead, we’re not going to have anything for the end. I tried to ride a smart race, and everything worked out great.
“There was a good, fast pace. I laid back a little bit and went outside and let him roll at the top of the stretch. I really liked the way he took off at the top of the stretch. He’s a really nice horse. All the credit to the trainer to bring the horse back off a long period of time and be ready for a stakes race. I’m just the pilot and I enjoyed the ride.”
Earlier in the day D’Angelo saddled Florida Sire Stakes winner Bentornato to a third-place finish in the Saudi Derby.
Courtlandt, McGaughey Heating Up
Corporate Power, a $925,000 son of Curlin owned by Courtlandt Farms and trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, gamely broke his maiden by a neck Saturday in his second career start.
The 3-year-old, who finished fourth in his debut Jan. 27 behind highly regarded Speak Easy and Victory Avenue, both entered for Saturday’s Fountain of Youth (G2), covered a 1 1/8-mile track in 1:51.08. Juddmonte’s Batten Down, a son of Tapit out of Grade I winner Close Hatches, was second, another neck in front of Sturdy.
Meanwhile, Conquest Warrior, a $1 million son of City of Light owned by Courtlandt and trained by McGaughey, is entered Friday in another 1 1/8-mile event. Conquest Warrior was third over a muddy Aqueduct track Dec. 2 in his debut before breaking his maiden Jan. 13 here going a mile.
Conquest Warrior’s opponents include Merit, a 10-length winner in his November debut who finished third Feb. 3, and Nomos, fourth on the turf last year in the With Anticipation (G2) and fourth Jan. 13 on the turf here. Merit is also cross entered in the Fountain of Youth (G2) Saturday.
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Estimated at $700,000
Sunday’s Rainbow 6, with an estimated pool of $700,000, features a pair of maiden special weight events for 3-year-old fillies at 7 ½ furlongs on the turf.
Race 5, which begins the Rainbow 6 sequence, has a tepid 7-2 favorite in Marian Cross. The daughter of Australia’s Zoustar, sire of Group I winner Lezoo, is trained by Graham Motion and was fifth, beaten less than two lengths in her debut Jan. 26. D J Stable LLC’s Hedge My Bet, a daughter of Bernardini, makes her debut for Mark Casse while James Toner saddles Joseph Allen’s homebred This Country.
Ten more 3-year-old fillies go to post in Race 7 with another 7-2 favorite in Cate’s Charm, fifth in her debut Jan. 26 after an awkward start for Casse. Tramontane, fourth in her debut Dec. 8 for trainer Christophe Clement. Reddam Racing LLC’s Lovin the Pavels makes his debut for trainer George Weaver.
The sequence concludes with Race 10, a $16,000 maiden claimer at 1 1/16 mile on the Tapeta.
The Rainbow 6 jackpot is paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
Pegasus World Cup Runner-Up Senor Buscador Wins Saudi, Octane Wins Razorback
Senor Buscador, second in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 27, won Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup over Japan’s Ushba Tesoro. Pegasus winner National Treasure finished fourth.
Who’s Hot: Emisael Jaramillo rode three winners Saturday. Jaramillo won the early double aboard Grove St. ($13.80) and Carrington ($19.20) and Race 12 with Set ($16.80).
Meanwhile at Oaklawn, Arindel’s Gulfstream-based homebred Octane won the $600,000 Razorback (G3).