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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