Two Unbeaten Favorites in Florida Sire Series
Still undefeated Three Rules winning the Florida Sire Affirmed Division Coglianese Photos/Leslie MartinTwo Unbeaten Favorites in Florida Sire Series
by Blood-Horse Staff
The summer racing season at Gulfstream Park roars to a close Oct. 1 with the third and final leg of the Florida Sire Stakes. Two undefeated juveniles—Three Rules and Cajun Delta Dawn—will top the marquee in the days races.
Three Rules, a son of Gone Astray , trained by Jose Pinchin, and ridden by Cornelio Velasquez, is undefeated in four starts and has won those four races effortlessly and by a total of 21 lengths. Shade Tree Thoroughbreds' colt captured the Florida Sire Dr. Fager division by seven lengths and the Florida Sire Affirmed by 5 1/2 lengths, and has been training sharply in his quest to sweep the series' juvenile male division. He will be favored in the 1 1/16-mile, $500,000 Florida Sire Stakes In Reality division.
"He's matured. He's gotten a little bit bigger," Pinchin said. "He's always been a sensible horse. He doesn't give himself any trouble."
Cajun Delta Dawn is Curtis Mikkelsen's homebred daughter of Kantharos . The 2-year-old filly, trained by David Fawkes and to be ridden by Juan Leyva, will be favored in the $500,000 Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl division, which is run at 1 1/16 miles as well. Cajun Delta Dawn is also unbeaten in four starts after winning the Florida Sire Susan's Girl in August by five lengths.
Cajun Delta Dawn's early success had taken Fawkes somewhat by surprise.
"She did surprise me, especially the second race. A maiden (win) is one thing, but when you come back and win a stake like that in her second start, that was impressive," he said.
Jacks or Better Farm's homebred Awesome Banner, by Awesome of Course, heads a cast of eight sophomores in the $150,000 Florida Sire Foolish Pleasure Stakes.
The Florida-bred colt displayed a new dimension in his most recent outing a month ago when he raced just off the pacesetters before rallying in the stretch to land the $150,000 Prized division of the Florida Sire Stakes, his second win at seven furlongs. After that effort, Awesome Banner returned to train in Ocala, where he had previously been sent for a change of scenery.
"It's a bit of a concern—his two route races were kind of ugly, but it may just be the two turns," said trainer Mark Casse. "I think that with the way he's run recently, he shouldn't have any issues with the mile. But he's gotten where he'll relax a little bit. I think he's matured."
Fred Brei's Jacks or Better also has 3-year-old Ballet Diva in the $150,000 Florida Sire Meadow Star Stakes where she'll attempt to turn the tables on R Kinsley Doll.
Ballet Diva finished an uncharacteristically dull sixth in the Florida Sire Three Ring Stakes, won by Averill Racing and Silver Oak Stable's R Kinsley Doll, a daughter of Big Drama . The Jacks or Better homebred by Hear No Evil was found to have an entrapped epiglottis, which got surgically corrected. She came back to finish second to R Kinsley Doll in the Florida Sire Jewel Princess division.
She's Incredible, the third-place finisher in the Jewel Princess, also will take on R Kinsley Doll and Ballet Diva once more. Trained by Fernando Abreu for Our Sugar Bear Stable, the High Cotton filly will break from post three and will be ridden by Jesus Rios.
Florida Sire In Reality S.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, 10/1, race 12
$500,000, 2yo, c/g, 8.5f (dirt), 6:06 PM (local)
| P# PP | Horse, Sire, Age/Sex, Jockey, Owner | Wgt M/L |
|---|---|---|
| 1 1 | Dont Come Knockin (FL) High Cotton, 2/c, J–Miguel Angel Vasquez, O–Frank Carl Calabrese | 122 30/1 |
| 2 2 | Three Rules (FL) Gone Astray, 2/c, J–Cornelio H. Velasquez, O–Shade Tree Thoroughbreds, Inc. | 122 3/5 |
| 3 3 | Thegreatcollection (FL) Saint Anddan, 2/c, J–Colby J. Hernandez, O–Kathleen Amaya and Raffaele Centofanti | 122 12/1 |
| 4 4 | Front Loaded (FL) Kantharos, 2/g, J–Tyler Gaffalione, O–Stephen Rousseau and Calypso Stable | 122 6/1 |
| 5 5 | Illmatic (FL) Kantharos, 2/c, J–Nik Juarez, O–Bell Racing, LLC | 122 15/1 |
| 6 6 | He's the One (FL) General Quarters, 2/g, J–Luca Panici, O–Linda Riznick | 122 30/1 |
| 7 7 | Western Journey (FL) Circular Quay, 2/c, J–Jose Valdivia, Jr., O–Brent Fernung and Eugene Cahalan | 122 20/1 |
| 8 8 | El Cacique (FL) In Summation, 2/g, J–Luis A. Castillo, O–Blue River Bloodstock and Hernandez Racing Club | 122 50/1 |
| 9 9 | Mr. Pinocchio (FL) Gone Astray, 2/c, J–Lane J. Luzzi, O–Goureau & Sons and Patrick L. Biancone LLC | 122 20/1 |
| 10 10 | Sunshine N Shadow (FL) Wildcat Heir, 2/c, J–Edgard J. Zayas, O–Michael G. Bernard | 122 12/1 |
| 11 11 | Legacy Azteca (FL) High Cotton, 2/c, J–Jesus M. Rios, O–Sandra Trotter | 122 10/1 |
| 12 12 | Love My Cotton (FL) High Cotton, 2/c, J–Eduardo O. Nunez, O–Stonehedge LLC | 122 20/1 |
Breeders: 1-Dawn Manness, Kenneth Manness, Billy Churly & Sherry Churly; 2-Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Inc, Geoff Roy & Tom Fitzgerald; 3-Kathleen Amaya, Alexandro Centofanti & Raffaele Centofanti; 4-Arboritanza Racing, LLC & Jolane Weeks; 5-Ben-D Farm South LLC; 6-JSL Thoroughbreds; 7-Brent Fernung, Crystal Fernung & Eugene P. Cahalan; 8-Craig Lawrence Wheeler; 9-Dr. & Mrs. Fred Yutani; 10-Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung; 11-Michael Chamberlain; 12-Gilbert G. Campbell
Trainers: 1-Angel M. Rodriguez; 2-Jose Pinchin; 3-Efren Loza, Jr.; 4-Jose Pinchin; 5-Ralph E. Nicks; 6-Douglas G. Potter; 7-Kathleen O'Connell; 8-Jacob Palacios Molina; 9-Patrick L. Biancone; 10-Stanley I. Gold; 11-Daniel Pita; 12-Kathleen O'Connell
Florida Sire My Dear Girl S.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, 10/1, race 10
$500,000, 2yo, f, 8.5f (dirt), 4:56 PM (local)
| P# PP | Horse, Sire, Age/Sex, Jockey, Owner | Wgt M/L |
|---|---|---|
| 1 1 | Larryandpearlslucy (FL) Circular Quay, 2/f, J–Luis A. Castillo, O–Steven Throne | 122 30/1 |
| 2 2 | Sweet Tooth Haven (FL) Vineyard Haven, 2/f, J–Edgard J. Zayas, O–Pinnacle Racing Stable, LLC | 122 5/1 |
| 3 3 | Katinka (FL) Kantharos, 2/f, J–Jose L. Alvarez, O–Shadybrook Farm, Inc. and Pam Klein | 122 15/1 |
| 4 4 | Hello Juliet (FL) Adios Charlie, 2/f, J–Matthew Rispoli, O–Rohan Crichton and Paul Haddad | 122 20/1 |
| 5 5 | Dude Fantasy (FL) First Dude, 2/f, J–Tyler Gaffalione, O–Donald R. Dizney LLC | 122 6/1 |
| 6 6 | Surprise Wedding (FL) High Cotton, 2/f, J–Eddie Castro, O–William A. T. Rainbow | 122 10/1 |
| 7 7 | Katira (FL) First Dude, 2/f, J–Roberto Alvarado, Jr., O–Arindel | 122 20/1 |
| 8 8 | Stormy Embrace (FL) Circular Quay, 2/f, J–Luca Panici, O–Matalona Thoroughbreds, LLC | 122 12/1 |
| 9 9 | Grandma Maria (FL) Exclusive Quality, 2/f, J–Miguel Angel Vasquez, O–LC Racing Corp | 122 30/1 |
| 10 10 | U S Diva (FL) United States, 2/f, J–Jesus M. Rios, O–Sandra Trotter | 122 8/1 |
| 11 11 | Fleet Dude (FL) First Dude, 2/f, J–Cornelio H. Velasquez, O–Donald R. Dizney LLC | 122 12/1 |
| 12 12 | Stop the Drama (FL) Big Drama, 2/f, J–Leonel Reyes, O–J. Stables | 122 30/1 |
| 13 13 | Cajun Delta Dawn (FL) Kantharos, 2/f, J–Juan C. Leyva, O–Curtis G. Mikkelsen | 122 2/1 |
Breeders: 1-Janis Cross Cubbage; 2-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC.; 3-Wendy Christ & Kathie Haines; 4-Ocala Stud; 5-Donald R. Dizney, LLC; 6-Mr. & Mrs. William A.T. Rainbow; 7-Arindel Farm; 8-Matalona Thoroughbreds, LLC; 9-Brent Fernung & Crystal Fernung; 10-Northwest Stud; 11-Donald R. Dizney, LLC; 12-Ponder Hill, Inc.; 13-Curtis Mikkelsen & Patricia Horth
Trainers: 1-Alex Rendon; 2-Stanley I. Gold; 3-Michael Yates; 4-Rohan Crichton; 5-Ralph E. Nicks; 6-David Fawkes; 7-Ronny W. Werner; 8-Kathleen O'Connell; 9-Juan Andres Rodriguez; 10-Daniel Pita; 11-Brad H. Cox; 12-Mario Morales; 13-David Fawkes
Florida Sire Meadow Star S.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, 10/1, race 2
$150,000, 3yo, f, 8f (dirt), 12:28 PM (local)
| P# PP | Horse, Sire, Age/Sex, Jockey, Owner | Wgt M/L |
|---|---|---|
| 1 1 | R Quick Temper (FL) Exclusive Quality, 3/f, J–Lane J. Luzzi, O–Averill Racing LLC and CCF Racing Stable LLC | 123 30/1 |
| 2 2 | Silent Prayer (FL) Brooks 'n Down, 3/f, J–Luca Panici, O–Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. | 123 15/1 |
| 3 3 | She's Incredible (FL) High Cotton, 3/f, J–Jesus M. Rios, O–Our Sugar Bear Stable LLC | 123 3/1 |
| 4 4 | Ballet Diva (FL) Hear No Evil, 3/f, J–Edgard J. Zayas, O–Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. | 123 8/5 |
| 5 5 | R Kinsley Doll (FL) Big Drama, 3/f, J–Tyler Gaffalione, O–Averill Racing LLC and Silver Oak Stable LLC | 123 1/1 |
Breeders: 1-Brent Fernung, Crystal Fernung & Eugene P. Cahalan; 2-Jacks or Better Farm Inc.; 3-Centaur Farms, Inc.; 4-Jacks or Better Farm Inc.; 5-Palm Beach Racing
Trainers: 1-Gerald S. Bennett; 2-Mark E. Casse; 3-Fernando Abreu; 4-Mark E. Casse; 5-Ralph Ziadie
Florida Sire Foolish Pleasure S.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, 10/1, race 6
$150,000, 3yo, c/g, 8f (dirt), 2:30 PM (local)
| P# PP | Horse, Sire, Age/Sex, Jockey, Owner | Wgt M/L |
|---|---|---|
| 1 1 | Minute Madness (FL) Gone Astray, 3/g, J–Lane J. Luzzi, O–Black Stallion E.P. Racing Stable | 123 8/1 |
| 2 2 | Mr. Kisses (FL) Big Drama, 3/g, J–Luca Panici, O–Champion Equine, LLC | 123 3/1 |
| 3 3 | Dangerous Bend (FL) Big Drama, 3/c, J–Edgard J. Zayas, O–Gelfenstein Farm, LLC | 123 10/1 |
| 4 4 | Dream of Me (FL) High Cotton, 3/c, J–Juan C. Leyva, O–Kathy Machesky | 123 4/1 |
| 5 5 | Brighton Lane (FL) Hear No Evil, 3/c, J–Jesus M. Rios, O–Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. | 123 20/1 |
| 6 6 | Danbury (FL) Kantharos, 3/c, J–Eddie Castro, O–Michael G. Bernard | 123 10/1 |
| 7 7 | Awesome Banner (FL) Awesome of Course, 3/c, J–Tyler Gaffalione, O–Jacks or Better Farm, Inc. | 123 8/5 |
| 8 8 | Call to Honor (FL) High Cotton, 3/g, J–Cornelio H. Velasquez, O–Tracy Pinchin | 123 8/1 |
Breeders: 1-Circle S Ranch; 2-Champion Equine LLC; 3-A. FRANCIS VANLANGENDONCK & BARBARA VANLANGENDONCK; 4-McKathan Bros.; 5-Jacks or Better Farm Inc.; 6-Robert C. Roffey Jr.; 7-Jacks or Better Farm Inc.; 8-Tracy Pinchin
