‘A Good Step Up’: Triple Crown Prep May Be Next For Prevalence After Dominating Win

Godolphin LLC's Prevalence took a giant step forward Thursday at Gulfstream Park, where the highly regarded 3-year-old colt registered a dominating optional claiming allowance victory that may very well lead to a Kentucky Derby (G1) prep race for his next start.

Bet down to 1-9 in a field of six 3-year-olds on the strength of a dazzling debut in a seven-furlong maiden special weight event at Gulfstream Jan. 23, Prevalence scored by three lengths in his return to action while running the one-turn mile in 1:35.82.

“I think it was a good step up for the horse going from the seven [furlongs] to a mile. It seemed like he got the distance good; the time was good,” trainer Brendan Walsh said. “We can't ask for much more than what we saw.”

The $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill n' Dale will be run March 27 at Gulfstream Park but will come up too soon for Prevalence. The Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland, the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn Park and Wood Memorial (G2) at Aqueduct will be run April 3. The latter two preps would seem the most likely targets since Godolphin's Essential Quality is scheduled to run in the Blue Grass.

“We'll get back and let the dust settle and talk to the team at Godolphin and see where we go after that,” Walsh said, '[A Derby prep] is a strong possibility, for sure.”

Prevalence established himself as a hot Triple Crown prospect when he debuted on the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) undercard. After brushing with a rival shortly after the start, he asserted himself on the backstretch and drew away under wraps to complete seven furlongs in 1:23. The Feb. 27 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream had been a goal for the homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro before he missed a key workout due to a brief bout with a cough.

“It was very important that we did what we did today, and not throw him in too deep,” Walsh said. “I'm very pleased we got this race. Hats off to the guys at Gulfstream for getting the race to go, because I think it was very important for the horse.

Prevalence broke cleanly from his outside post to race a couple lengths off the pace set by Tio Magico, who was making his 2021 debut after finishing second in the Coronation Futurity at Woodbine in his juvenile finale. The Kentucky-bred colt joined the pacesetter leaving the backstretch without any encouragement from jockey Tyler Gaffalione and took a slight lead on the turn into the homestretch. He opened a clear lead in the stretch and finished under mild encouragement.

“It was probably not as flashy as his first race, but I think we're going to get a lot more out of this race today,” Gaffalione said. “He was definitely more green. He was looking up at the grandstand down the lane. He kind of got lost by himself. I just had to remind him to keep to his task. He has a really bright future. I'm really looking forward to getting to the bottom of him.

“He didn't disappoint at all today, if anything, I'm even more excited about him because I know, if it comes to it, he will give me some fight,” Gaffalione added.

Southern Passage, who trailed the field early, closed to finish second under Corey Lanerie, a length ahead of Tio Magico.

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‘Rising Star’ Prevalence Stays Unbeaten in Gulfstream Allowance

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 the lane to a devastating, wrapped-up 8 1/2-length score, easily good enough for 'TDN Rising Star' honors. Considered for a run in the Feb. 27 GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S., he was forced to pass on the race after missing a breeze with a fever. Quickly recovering to post two sharp works at Palm Meadows, Prevalence was pounded down to 1-10 against five overmatched-on-paper rivals here and broke a bit outwardly at the start. Tracking the speed in the clear from second through a modest :23.90 quarter, he turned up the pressure past a swifter :46.35 half and rolled by three-quarters on even terms in 1:10.74 under confident handling. Shaken up by Tyler Gaffalione outside the furlong pole, he scampered clear soon after and didn't face a serious danger from there, hitting the wire three lengths to the good of 32-1 longshot Southern Passage (Super Saver).

“It was probably not as flashy as his first race, but I think we're going to get a lot more out of this race today,” Gaffalione said. “He was definitely more green. He was looking up at the grandstand down the lane. He kind of got lost by himself. I just had to remind him to keep to his task. He has a really bright future. I'm really looking forward to getting to the bottom of him. He didn't disappoint at all today, if anything, I'm even more excited about him because I know, if it comes to it, he will give me some fight.”

The winner is a half to Estihdaaf (Arch), GSW-UAE, $183,491; and Libreta (Girolamo), SW, $128,660. His dam, a full-sister to MGISW Better Lucky (Ghostzapper), has a juvenile Quality Road colt named Emirates Road and foaled a colt by Frosted last term before visiting Uncle Mo. Second dam Sahara Gold (Seeking the Gold) is a GSW daughter of 1995 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint heroine Desert Stormer (Storm Cat). Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $52,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh.

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Nominations Open For 2021 Irish GSSS Awards

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Irish Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, and close at 5 p.m. local time on Monday, Apr. 19. The Irish GSSSAs are held in association with the Irish Stablestaff Association, the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, Racing Post and Horse Racing Ireland. The 10 award categories offer combined prizemoney of over €85,000. Besides prizemoney allocated for the winner, the two finalists and their employers, €100 will be set aside to the short-listed candidates in eight of the award categories. Sandra Hughes, Godolphin's Irish Stud and Stable Staff Awards Ambassador, will be available to assist anyone who wishes to nominate their staff and teammates. The awards show will be broadcast free-to-air on Racing TV on Wednesday, June 30. To nominate, please visit www.studandstablestaffawards.ie.

“Godolphin is delighted to continue its sponsorship of the Irish Stud and Stable Staff Awards and to help showcase the skills, experience and dedication of the hardworking people in our industry,” said Godolphin Ireland Managing Director Joe Osborne.

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After Missing Fountain Of Youth Due To Cough, Prevalence In Gulfstream Allowance Thursday

Godolphin LLC's Prevalence, a brilliant 8 ½-length debut winner, is scheduled to make a highly anticipated return to the races Thursday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Brendan Walsh trainee will headline a field of six 3-year-olds in an entry-level optional claiming allowance, a one-turn mile event carded as Race 8.

Prevalence debuted on the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) undercard at Gulfstream Jan. 23, brushing with a rival shortly after the start before asserting himself on the backstretch and drawing away under wraps to complete seven furlongs in 1:23.

The Feb. 27 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream had been a goal for the homebred son of Medaglia d'Oro before missing a key workout by a brief illness.

“It was minor, a cough, but that put him out of any consideration for the Fountain of Youth,” Walsh said. “He's worked back since and has worked really well. He worked really good Friday, so we're happy with him. It will be a nice progression tomorrow going a mile from seven-eighths.”

A Kentucky Derby (G1) prep is a next-start possibility, depending on his return to the races Thursday.

“If we do, depending on tomorrow, it would be one of the very last ones, like the Arkansas Derby, the Wood or the Blue Grass,” Walsh said. “But I hate to look any further ahead than tomorrow.”

Tyler Gaffalione has the return mount aboard Prevalence.

David Fawkes-trained Caxambas Candy, who won by 4 ¾ lengths in his Feb. 17 debut in a mile off-the-turf maiden special weight race; and Gail Cox-trained Tio Magico, a son of Uncle Mo who finished second in the Nov. 1 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine last time out; are among Prevalence's rivals.

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