Gulfstream

When Mario Pino began riding way back in 1977, he figured he'd stick around for a few years and then go off and do something else. Weight was an issue and he wasn't sure that he had the desire to keep grinding away. Forty-four years later, Pino, 59, resumed his career last week at Gulfstream and is determined to plug away until he gets his 7,000th win. He needs 39 more winners to reach that milestone, something only nine jockeys have ever achieved. "I'm just 39 away and that's why...

6th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 2:37 p.m. ET PERFECT GRACE (Tapit), a 3-year-old daughter of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), kicks off her career for trainer Ralph Nicks. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred, given a 6-1 chance on the morning line, is drawn widest of all in post seven with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Mandy Pope's operation went to $10 million to acquire Havre de Grace at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. TJCIS PPs

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency CASSE UNVEILS WELL-BRED WAR FRONT ON FL DERBY UNDERCARD 1st-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 1mT, 11:30p.m. The blue-blooded WAR BOMBER (IRE) (War Front) makes his career bow in this spot for trainer Mark Casse. The colt is a full-brother to Group 1 winner and Irish highweight Lancaster Bomber, who was twice second at the Breeders' Cup; and a half-brother to French, Irish and German highweight Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}); MGSW Mull of Killough (Ire) (Mull of Kintyre); MSW Shivalik Showers (Ind) (Dancing Forever); and...

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) will be featured on two big race days at Gulfstream Park and Turfway Park Saturday to promote aftercare awareness on the undercard of the GIII Jeff Ruby Steaks and the GI Curlin Florida Derby. A presentation of a TAA blanket and swag bag to the winning connections will be made following the running of each race. Gulfstream's Race 2 presented by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance will go off at 11:59 a.m. A limited number of patrons will be in attendance for the action-packed Florida Derby...

Greatest Honour (Tapit) rides a three-race win streak heading into the GI Curlin Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, however, the Courtlandt Farm homebred certainly hasn't scared anyone away as 10 other sophomores have also signed on in Saturday's Classic prep. A large part of the draw is that the Florida Derby will offer 170 qualifying points for the May 1 Kentucky Derby on a 100-40-20-10 basis. The 1 1/8-mile test has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events. The imposing bay kicked off his career with a trio of...

A Triple Crown winner in his native Barbados, Saffie Joseph Jr. took his first shot at America's Classics in 2020 with GISP Ny Traffic (Cross Traffic), who failed to hit the board in both the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Preakness S. last fall before heading to the sidelines for the remainder of the season. Fast forward to 2021, Joseph returns to the Triple Crown trail with another exciting prospect in Three Chimneys Farm and eFive Racing's Collaborate (Into Mischief), who is slated to contest Saturday's GI Curlin Florida Derby...

SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stable LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson's Spielberg (Union Rags) has been confirmed to contest the GI Curlin Florida Derby Mar. 27 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the 3-year-old is expected to face GIII Holy Bull S. and GI Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. winner Greatest Honour (Tapit) in the nine-furlong test that has produced the winners of 60 Triple Crown events. "We'll see how he stacks up," Baffert said Friday. Spielberg, who is scheduled to...

7th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 3:10 p.m. ET BEARS WATCHING (Karakontie {Jpn}), a half-brother to MGISW Code of Honor (Noble Mission {GB}), looks to earn his diploma at second asking following a very good closing third on debut in the Gulfstream slop Feb. 6. The William S. Farish homebred, trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, finished two spots ahead of subsequent 'TDN Rising Star' Collaborate (Into Mischief) that day, who returned with a daylight maiden victory Feb. 27. The field of 12 also includes $510,000 KEESEP graduate Stainless Steel...

8th-Gulfstream, $45,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 3-11, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.82, ft, 3 lengths. PREVALENCE (c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro--Enrichment, by Ghostzapper), arguably the flashiest debut winner of 2021 thus far, backed up his huge first-out victory with a more workmanlike allowance tally Thursday at Gulfstream in what could serve as a springboard to an April GI Kentucky Derby prep for the Godolphin homebred. Unveiled as a 34-5 proposition in a loaded-looking maiden race going seven panels here Jan. 23, the bay survived a host of pace pressers and burst away in...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PREVALENCE FACES WINNERS AT GULFSTREAM 8th-GP, $52K, Opt. Clm. ($75K), 3yo, 1m, 4:44p.m. 'TDN Rising Star' PREVALENCE (Medaglia d'Oro) looks to make good on his ultra-impressive debut as he takes on winners for the first time Thursday. The Godolphin homebred romped by 8 1/2 lengths against a strong field in his seven-panel unveiling here Jan. 23, earning an 89 Beyer Speed Figure. A half to GSW Estihdaaf (Arch) and SW Libreta (Girolamo), the bay is out of a full-sister to MGISW Better Lucky (Ghostzapper), who...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 11th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 5:48 p.m. ET Giverny (Tapit) makes her first start here for Bill Mott and owner/breeder Alpha Delta Stable. She was being carried by her SW and MGSP dam Oscar Party (Dixie Union) when Jon Clay's operation purchased that one for $1.9 million at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Giverny is the half-sister to MGISW Room Service (More Than Ready)'s second foal--a year-older Tapit colt RNA'd for $675,000 at the same KEENOV renewal. Chad Brown pupil Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), a...

Gulfstream Park may soon be able to offer races on three different surfaces as officials are in the process of finalizing plans to install a Tapeta track on the outer section of the turf course. The news was first reported Dec. 9, 2020, when The Stronach Group's Aidan Butler appeared on the TDN Writers' Room podcast. "It's going to happen," Bill Badgett, TSG's executive director of Florida racing told the DRF's Mike Welsch Friday. "Right now, we're just trying to find a time frame to implement the project that will...