florida sire stakes | Horse Racing Free Tips

Gulfstream: Rainbow 6 Pool Guaranteed At $700,000 Friday, Mandatory Payout Saturday

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $700,000 for Friday's program at Gulfstream Park. If there is no single winner Friday, there will be a mandatory payout of the pool Saturday on Florida Sire Stakes Day.

The popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 12 consecutive racing days since a June 30 mandatory payout.

Saturday's program will kickoff the lucrative FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes with the $100,000 Dr. Fager and $100,000 Desert Vixen, but first comes Friday's Rainbow 6 sequence that will span Races 5-10 on the twilight program with a first-race post time of 2 p.m.

A 6 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance in Race 7 will headline the Rainbow 6 sequence and will feature the return of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Isolate. The 3-year-old son of Mark Valeski is scheduled to make his first start since finishing third in the Nashua (G3) at Aqueduct last November. The Kathy Ritvo trainee entered the mile Nashua off a pair of victories at Gulfstream to kick off his career, including a 10-length romp in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance.

On Saturday the Dr..Fager and the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, both to be contested at six furlongs, will co-headline the first leg of the series that will continue Aug. 28 with the $200,000 Affirmed and the $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies, both slated for seven furlongs, and Sept. 25 with the $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, both to be run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles.

Stonehedge Farm LLC's Gil and Marilyn Campbell, who have won 15 FSS races, expect to be represented in both the Dr. Fager and the Desert Vixen, which they won last year with Breeze On By and Go Jo Jo Go, respectively. Michael Yates-trained Dean Delivers, a son of Cajun Breeze who won his debut by 7 ½ lengths in a five-furlong maiden special weight race June 26, is scheduled to run in the Dr. Fager. Kathleen O'Connell-trained Silver Smile, a daughter of Long Island Sound who scored by 3 ½ lengths in her June 3 debut, is slated to run in the Desert Vixen.

Breeze Easy LLC and trainer Joe Orseno are also expected to be represented in both first-leg stakes. Hope in Him, a son of Chitu who was purchased for $190,000 at the OBS March sale, enters the Dr. Fager off a front-running debut victory by five lengths June 4. Stone Beauty, a daughter of Neolithic, is slated to make the second start of her career in the Desert Vixen off a 1 ¾-length debut score July 16.

Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Big and Classy, Lea Farms LLC's Lightening Larry and Bella Inizio Farm's Laki Lio, all coming off solid maiden victories, are among the likely starters in the Dr. Fager.

Roger Laurin's Demurely, Quintessential Racing Florida LLC's Royal Rocker, and Champion Equine's My Sassenach are among the fillies expected to contest the Desert Vixen.

The Florida Sire Stakes has a rich history dating back to 1982, when it was created by Ocala Breeder and owner Dan Lasater. The six-race series has produced six Eclipse Award champions: Awesome Feather (2010 Juvenile Filly), Big Drama (2010 Sprint), Holy Bull (1994 Horse of the Year and 3-Year-Old Male), Smile (1986 Sprint), Brave Raj (1986 Juvenile Filly) and Not Surprising (1995 Sprint Champion).

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Multiple Stakes Winner Chance It Makes Long-Awaited Return To Races Sunday

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC's Chance It found no easy spot to make his long-awaited return to the races in Sunday's feature race at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multiple-stakes winner is scheduled to face five battle-tested rivals in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance.

“I'm looking forward to getting him back in action. The race came up a little tougher than I would have liked for his first race back, but he's training well,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “He had a strong work from the gate about eight days ago. That day, I thought he showed he's as good as ever.”

Chance It, the hero of the 2019 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series, has been out of action since finishing fifth in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) March 7, 2020.

The 4-year-old son of Currency Swap captured the Mucho Macho Man to kick off his 3-year-old campaign before starting in the Tampa Bay Derby, in which he dropped back early, made a mild run into contention at the top of the stretch, and faded late.

“There was no sense rushing him back. He's not a horse that will be sent to the breeding shed any time soon,” Joseph said. “He's a horse that can race at 5 and 6 years old, so we wanted to give him the time. He seems to have come back as good as ever.”

Chance It concluded his juvenile campaign with a sharp 7 ¼-length victory in the $400,000 FSS In Reality at 1 1/16 miles. The Florida-bred colt also won the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager at six furlongs.

Edgard Zayas has the call.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Double Crown is also scheduled to make his 2021 debut in Sunday's Race 9 feature. The Kathy Ritvo-trained 4-year-old gelding completed his 2020 campaign with back-to-back graded-stakes placings. After finishing third in the Smile Sprint (G3) at Gulfstream, the son of Bourbon Courage closed to finish second behind heavily favored Yaupon in the Oct. 1 Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico Race Course.

Double Crown had won back-to-back stakes at Gulfstream prior to placing in the Smile Sprint and Chick Lang.

My Purple Haze Stables' Cool Arrow, who defeated Double Crown in the Smile Sprint, is coming into Sunday's race off a third-place finish behind Miles Ahead, who captured Friday's featured Race 3 at Gulfstream Park as the 6-5 favorite.

Went West, Inter Miami and Man of Honor round out the field.

The Joseph-trained Tonalist's Shape, a multiple graded-stakes winner during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet at Gulfstream, is scheduled to make her 2021 debut in Saturday's Race 10, a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares.

“She had a long year last year, so we decided to give her a break to freshen her up,” Joseph said.

Tonalist's Shape, who hasn't run since finishing fifth in the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland Oct. 17, has been prepared for her first start of the year with a series of seven works, including a solid half-mile breeze that was second fastest of 67 May 16.

“She's a bit more tricky [than Chance It]. She's never been a good work horse. Her works have been OK. You're always curious to see how she comes back,” Joseph said. “She's always been a hard horse to read off her works. We hope she comes back with that same determination she had last year.”

Tonalist's Shape won her first five career starts, including the Forward Gal (G3) and Davona Dale (G2) before tasting defeat for the first time in her two-turn debut in the 2020 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2). The daughter of Tonalist returned to win the 1 1/16-mile Hollywood Wildcat at Gulfstream before finishing fourth in the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga, fifth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs and fifth in the Raven Run.

Tonalist's Shape is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of nine that includes Saguaro Row, who finished third in the March 20 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream before shipping to Belmont for a fifth-place finish in the May 2 Ruffian (G2)

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FTBOA, Tampa Bay Downs Offer Lucrative Florida-Bred And Florida Sire Stakes Programs For 2020-21 Season

From the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association and Tampa Bay Downs will again present several added-money events and $860,000 in purse supplements for Florida-breds and Florida Sires Stakes-eligible runners during the Oldsmar, Fla. track's 2020-2021 season that is offering 90 days of thoroughbred racing from Nov. 25-May 2.

Horses eligible for the lucrative Florida Sire Stakes program will have extra money to run for starting Dec. 5 when the track presents the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes for 2-year-olds and the $100,000 Sandpiper Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, both set for six furlongs. The purse for each race includes a $50,000 win-only supplement for horses eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes program.

The following weekend, the track will offer the renewal of both the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Marion County for FSS-eligible horses, 3-years-old and older at seven furlongs; and the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes City of Ocala for fillies and mares eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes, 3-years-old and older, also at seven furlongs.

“We are pleased to, once again, partner with Tampa Bay Downs and their horsemen in offering some very nice stakes purses and supplements for our Florida-breds competing there this Winter and Spring,” FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell said. “We enjoy working with the Tampa Bay management and ownership team and appreciate how hard they work the meet while attracting a nice on-track crowd filled with out-of-state 'snowbirds' while continuing to offer a very competitive and popular simulcast signal nationwide.”

Florida Sire Stakes horses and Florida-breds will have the first extra incentives of the New Year in the $125,000 Pasco Stakes and in the $125,000 Gasparilla Stakes.

The Pasco is for 3-year-olds and the Gasparilla is for 3-year-old fillies, both set to go seven furlongs.

The Pasco and Gasparilla purses both include a $50,000 win-only supplement for Florida Sire Stakes eligible runners and a $25,000 win-only supplement for registered Florida-breds.

“We are very excited to offer these supplements for Florida-bred and Florida Sire Stakes-eligible horses,” Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary Allison DeLuca said. “We will feature these purse enhancements throughout the season and look forward to attracting excellent fields.”

A celebration of Florida's rich thoroughbred breeding and racing heritage takes place Sunday, March 28, 2021, when Tampa Bay Downs plays host to its 18th annual Florida Cup Day for registered Florida-breds.

The Florida Cup is made up of six stakes races, each offering $110,000 in purse money and is a collaborative endeavor between Tampa Bay Downs; the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association; and the Tampa Bay Downs Division of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. Those purses include a $10,000 win-only supplement for Florida Sire Stakes-eligible competitors.

“Last year we had to cancel the Florida Cup races because of the impact of COVID-19,” DeLuca said. “So this year, we are more excited than ever to have our biggest day for Florida-breds. It is a very popular day with the horsemen and fans alike.”

Florida Cup 2021 will be made up of the following races restricted to registered Florida-breds.

$110,000 Grey Goose Turf Classic, 4-year-olds-and-older, mile-and-an-eighth, turf
$110,000 Ocala Breeders' Sales Sophomore, 3-year-olds, 7 furlongs, dirt
$110,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf, 3-year-olds, mile-and-a-sixteenth, turf
$110,000 NYRABets Sprint, 4-year-olds-and-older, 6 furlongs, dirt
$110,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies, 3-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs, dirt
$110,000 Pleasant Acres Stallions Distaff Turf, fillies and mares 3-years-old-and-older, mile-and-a-sixteenth, turf

The Florida Cup has seen such national stars as Live Oak Plantation's 2017 Breeders' Cup Mile (G1)-winner World Approval, who was also honored that year with an Eclipse Award as the North American champion turf male. That year, World Approval started his banner campaign, that included two Grade 1 wins in the Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga and the Ricoh Woodbine Mile in Canada, with a victory in the EG Vodka Turf Classic Stakes.

Imperial Hint, the 2018 FTBOA Horse of the Year and an earner of more than $2 million in his career, won the 2016 Ocala Breeders' Sales Sophomore Stakes in his second career start before going on to twice win both the Grade 1 Vosburgh Stakes and the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga.

Several other stakes throughout the season will offer purse supplements.

There will be a $25,000 win-only supplement for Florida-breds in four other stakes including the $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes (Grade 3) for older horses going a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the turf, the $175,000 Endeavour Stakes (G3) for fillies and mares at a mile-and-one-sixteenth, both to be run on Feb. 6; the Feb. 13, $100,000 Pelican Stakes for older horses going six furlongs; and in the Grade 2, $225,000 Hillsborough Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile-and-one-eighth on March 6.

The $100,000 Lightning City Stakes for fillies and mares and the $100,000 Turf Dash for older horses will offer $25,000 win-only supplements on Feb. 20 that will be a paid to Florida-breds that finish in the top six on a 60%-20%-10%-5%-3%-2% basis.

On March 6, the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) for 3-year-olds at a mile-and-one-sixteenth and the $200,000 Florida Oaks (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at a mile-and-one-sixteenth on the turf, will offer $50,000 supplements for Florida-breds to be paid on the same 60-20-10-5-3-2 basis.

For more information on races for Florida-breds and Florida Sire Stakes-eligible runners at Tampa Bay Downs, contact Allison DeLuca, Tampa Bay Downs racing secretary or Margo Flynn, with Horsemen's and Horsewomen's Services at 813.855.4401.

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History Makers Abound In The Florida Sire Stakes

The FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes has been the proving ground for future champions and provided a road to the Breeders' Cup for nearly 40 years.

Started in 1982 as a showcase for 2-year-olds grown in the Sunshine State, the series has expanded under the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association to include both a win bonus program and 3-year-old opportunities at both Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs.

“The rich history of the series has given opportunities to showcase Florida stallions and the talent coming out of the Sunshine state,” said FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell. “Along the way, the Florida Sire Stakes has produced alumni that have won the Kentucky Derby, Breeders' Cup races, and national honors.”

Big Drama swept the Florida Sire Stakes in 2008 before going on to win the Breeders' Cup Sprint in 2010. That same year, Awesome Feather swept the filly division and followed it up with a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies win. Thirteen horses have swept the series.

Not Surprising won the 1992 FSS Dr. Fager and finished out of the money in the next two legs in the FSS Affirmed and FSS In Reality. Three year later, he was named national champion sprinter.

Holy Bull won the In Reality in 1993 before becoming Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old colt in 1994.

Hollywood Wildcat won the 1993 Breeders' Cup Distaff after finishing sixth the previous year in the FSS Susan's Girl.

Unbridled finished second in the 1989 In Reality and captured the Kentucky Derby the following year. He was also named national champion 3-year-old and has since produced four generations of Breeders' Cup winners.

Not Surprising honored a retirement ceremony on Festival of the Sun day at Calder Race Course.

Brave Raj, who won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in 1986, won the Susan's Girl and the My Dear Girl leading up to the Cup.

Smile swept the colt series in 1984 before winning the Breeders' Cup Sprint and was named champion sprinter in 1986.

The question remains as to whether 2020 will produce yet another historically significant Florida Stallion Stakes performance, a future Breeders' Cup winner or Eclipse Award champion. There may be a star juvenile now training at Gulfstream Park or Palm Meadows or at a training center or farm in Ocala that is just waiting for the opportunity to join the ranks of successful Florida Sire Stakes grads.

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