bob umphrey turf sprint | Horse Racing Free Tips

Warrior’s Pride Goes Wire-To-Wire In Gulfstream Turf Sprint

Trainer Antonio Cioffi was understandably thrilled with Warrior's Pride's gate-to-wire victory in Sunday's $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. but he was especially delighted to win a race named to honor the memory of the late and beloved racing official.

“I very happy to win this race, because when I came into this country Bob Umphrey helped me so much. At the time, he was the racing secretary at Calder,” said the Italian-born Cioffi, who emigrated from Venezuela in 2001. “I'm proud to win this race.”

The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint, a five-furlong turf dash for 3-year-olds and up, wrapped up the Fourth of July Weekend stakes action that got underway on Saturday's Summit of Speed card, highlighted by Ce Ce's triumph in the $350,000 Grade 2 Princess Rooney Invitational and Miles Ahead's mild upset victory in the $200,000 Grade 3 Smile Sprint Invitational.

Warrior's Pride, a 3-year-old son of Poseidon's Warrior who was sent to post at 9-1, rocketed to the early lead as Caribou Club, the 8-5 favorite, and Ete Indien, the 7-2 second choice, got away slowly. The Cioffi trainee set fractions of :22.03 for the first quarter and :44.92 seconds for the first half-mile while maintaining a clear lead into the stretch under Emisael Jaramillo. Tiger Blood, the veteran turf sprinter with 19 career victories, made a late surge from off the pace but fell a neck short of catching the pacesetter. Yes I Am Free finished third, 1 ¼ lengths back.

Warrior's Pride earned a $25,000 'Win Only' bonus available to Florida-bred starters as well as the winner's share of the purse after running five furlongs in :57.30 over a 'good' turf course. The Umphrey score was Warrior's Pride's second turf victory in two starts on the grass. He captured the five-furlong Texas Glitter during the Championship Meet prior to finishing fifth in the 6 ½-furlong Roar on the main track.

“He's so speedy. This is the race for him,” Cioffi said.

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Ete Indien Returns From Year-Long Layoff In Sunday’s Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

A prominent prospect on the Road to the Triple Crown last year before going to the sidelines, Ete Indien is scheduled to make his first start in more than a year in Sunday's $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

The Umphrey, a five-furlong turf sprint that offers a $25,000 'Win Only' bonus to Florida-bred entrants, is featured on Sunday's Fourth of July program, wrapping up Summit of Speed Weekend, which will be highlighted by the $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2) and the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3) on Saturday's card.

Ete Indien was a leading 3-year-old last year after setting the pace to finish second behind Tiz the Law in the Holy Bull (G2) and capturing the Fountain of Youth (G2) by 8 ½ lengths. The son of Summer Front went on to finish third behind Tiz the Law after setting a pressured early pace in the Florida Derby (G1). Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) were postponed from their traditional May dates.

“For us, it was very disappointing because my two horses – he and Sole Volante – were at the top of their game,” trainer Patrick Biancone said. “Everything changed. One got hurt and the other one lost his form. But the racetracks were great, protecting everybody and keeping them safe and keeping everybody working.”

Ete Indien would race only once more last year in a June optional claiming allowance, weakening to finish fourth behind stablemate Sole Volante after setting a pressured pace.

“He's trained extremely well, but when you have not run for a year, you cannot expect to have the horse super-tight. He had a little hiccup, and he's recovered from everything now. He's happy, sound and very strong,” Biancone said. “He strained one of his ankles. He should have been ready to run in March, but unfortunately, one morning, he put his legs over the [stall] door and I lost another three months.”

Biancone is happy with what he sees in Ete Indien one full year after he established himself as one of the best 3-year-olds in the country.

“He's gorgeous; he's really matured. He's 16 hands. He's a monster,” said Biancone, who owns Ete Indien with Linda Shanahan, Sanford Bacon, Dream With Me Stable Inc., Horse France America and D P Racing.

Ete Indien has already had success on turf at the five-furlong distance, having closed from off the pace to capture his career debut in September 2019. The Kentucky-bred colt finished off the board following an extremely wide trip in the Bourbon (G3) over Keeneland's turf course in his second start. He rebounded in his dirt debut next time out, scoring a front-running 2 ½-length optional claiming allowance that preceded his most encouraging performances in the Holy Bull, Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby.

“I like the five furlongs on turf for a comeback because it's not too hard on them,” Biancone. “We go back to scratch. He's had a year off. We got back to where he started.”

Florent Geroux, who was aboard for Ete Indien's Fountain of Youth romp, has the call.

Glen Hill Farm's Caribou Club, a multiple graded stakes-winning 7-year-old gelding with more than $700,000 in earnings, looms as a strong contender in the Umphrey after notching a victory in his first career start at the five-furlong distance on turf in a May 22 overnight handicap at Gulfstream.

Edwin Gonzalez has the return call on Caribou Club.

Caribou Club, a Florida-bred son of City Zip, is eligible for the “Win Only' bonus offer, as are Imaginary Stables' Harry's Ontheloose, Move Horse Inc.'s Romario, Hibiscus Stables LLC's Tiger Blood, Just for Fun Stable Inc.'s Warrior's Pride and Golden Kernel Racing Stable's Yes I Am Free.

Lea Farms LLC's Citrus Burst, Chester Bishop's Brother Satchmo and Imaginary Stables' Nitro Time round out the main body of the field. Vicente Stella Stables LLC's Sovereign Warrior is on the also-eligible list. Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Ournationonparade and Averill Racing and partners' R Mercedes Boy are main-track-only entrants.

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10-Year-Old Pay Any Price Prevails In Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

Pay Any Price, the 10-year-old gelding owned by Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing Stable LLC, held off a late rally by Ambassador Luna to win Sunday's $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint by a nose over a 'good' turf course at Gulfstream Park.

A son of Wildcat Heir trained by Georgina Baxter, Pay Any Price has won 19 of 33 races, including nine stakes. The gelding won the Umphrey in 2017 and 2018, the Crystal River in 2018 and 2019, and was second in the Jim McKay Turf Sprint in 2017.

The win was especially pleasing to Baxter after Pay Any Price lost his three previous starts.

“This horse is amazing, isn't he?” Baxter said. “I know his last two runs were questionable but you can never write this horse off. You have to respect him every time he steps on the racetrack.

“He's special to me. He's special to everyone in the barn. He's 10 years old. His worst enemy is his attitude, but he's turned into be our best friend – the fact that he is so goofy and quirky. He's still so good and so fast and still running well at 10 years old.”

Pay Any Price popped out of the gate under jockey Edgard Zayas and set fractions of :21.84 and :44.03 before hitting the wire first. The gelding was bred in Florida by Brent and Crystal Fernung and has now won 16 of 24 starts at Gulfstream.

Earlier in the afternoon, GU Racing Stable LLC's Belle Laura split horses around the turn and drove to an impressive victory in Sunday's $60,000 In The Breeze, covering a good mile turf course in 1:35.32.

The 4-year-old daughter of Mucho Macho Man, facing 10 others, including six stakes winners, was fifth down the backstretch before moving between pacesetter Dangerous Curves and Rosa Star around the turn and then driving away to a 4 ½ length victory over Great Sister Diane. Midnight Soiree was third.

Belle Laura is now two-for-two this year under the shedrow of trainer Juan Avila and jockey Hector Berrios. The filly finished third in the Jessamine (G2) and seventh in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) as a 2-year-old, and third in the Herecomesthebride (G3) last year.

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