Before he saddles Haskell (G1) runner-up Ny Traffic in the 145th Preakness (G1) Saturday afternoon at Pimlico Race Course, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will begin his attempt at a third consecutive training title at Gulfstream Park West.
Joseph, who last week earned the training title at Gulfstream Park's summer meet, will begin the Gulfstream West season with three starters on Opening Day, including Daddy's Joy in the featured ninth race.
Gulfstream West begins its 40-day meet Saturday with a 10-race program. First race post is noon. Due to safety and health protocols, the Gulfstream West meet will be held without spectators. Fans can watch and wager on the races at https://1st.com/bet/ and https://xpressbet.com
Joseph, a third-generation horsemen who came to the U.S. from Barbados in 2011, has built a major stable the past several years after starting with just two horses when he arrived. His accomplishments include victories in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1) with Math Wizard, Davona Dale (G2) and Forward Gal (G3) with Tonalist's Shape, the Royal Delta (G3) with Cookie Dough, and the Kitten's Joy (G3) with Island Commish.
On Saturday at Gulfstream West Joseph will have horses in the fifth (Keep Quiet), the ninth (Daddy's Joy) and 10th (Tony Small).
“We won the last two meets and we hope that we can win this meet again,” Joseph said. “It's not going to be easy obviously, because everyone has the same expectations. But we think we have enough horses and good owners behind us that it's a realistic goal to get it done. It's going to be the last Gulfstream Park West meet so it would be nice to go out three times a winner.”
Daddy's Joy, a 3-year-old filly by Daddy Long Legs, will be one of the favorites in the featured ninth race, an allowance optional claiming event at five furlongs on the turf. After finishing sixth in her debut last December at the Fair Grounds, Daddy's Joy returned from a nine-month layoff to win Gulfstream on the turf Sept. 3 in her first start under Joseph's shedrow.
The filly is owned by Slam Dunk Racing and MyRacehorse.com, which sells micro -shares in its horses. Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Authentic is co-owned by MyRacehorse.com, which sold more than 4,000 micro-shares in the Preakness favorite.
“I got hooked up with them through Slam Dunk Racing,” Joseph said. “They own horses together and that's how it came about. I mainly deal with Slam Dunk and I think Nick Hines has something to do with it. I don't know if he manages MyRaceHorse but he will call me occasionally for them. It's nice. Obviously they own Authentic, and it's good to train for those kinds of people. Owners are what make you, and we're blessed to have really good owners.”
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