First, the GIII Sugar Swirl S. for older females going six furlongs on the main track includes veteran mare Bluefield (Field Commission), who won by a neck against state-breds in a Tampa black-type race Dec. 9.

“She went up to Tampa and it was nice to get a stakes win on her resume at this age,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. “She came to us late but she just keeps getting better and better. She's never run back this quick, but she's in good order so I think she should run well. Hopefully she has a good week leading up to it.”

Bluefield will be joined by her new stablemate Intrepid Daydream (Jess's Dream). Purchased privately just last week, the filly rides in on a four-race win streak at the Mid-Atlantic tracks.

Also entered is Napa Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}). The chestnut prepped for this spot when she came from off the pace to win an optional claimer at Churchill Downs Nov. 22. Joining her will be Headland (Paynter), who was third last out in the Garland of Roses S. at Aqueduct Dec. 9, while AMO Racing's SP Olivia Darling (Palace) will look to improve after a fifth-place finish in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in Hallandale Oct. 7.

The other half of the graded stakes Saturday offering is the seven-furlong GIII Mr. Prospector S. for older males. Last year's edition was used as the springboard for Sibelius (Not This Time) as he won three straight, including traveling to Dubai to collect the G1 Golden Shaheen S.

“Maybe it's the time of year where he's best, I don't know,” said trainer Jeremiah O'Dwyer. “We'll find out this year. It's going to be his second year in a row trying to take the same path. We're looking forward to it. I couldn't be happier with the horse.”

Sibelius might not have such an easy task ahead with the presence of MGSW Long Range Toddy (Take Charge Indy). After winning both of his starts at Gulfstream over the summer, the 7-year-old returns here with the capability to run this field off their feet.

Trainer Brendan Walsh sends Gilmore (Twirling Candy) back to the post to finish off what could be considered a consistent year for the 3-year-old colt. The gray was the runner-up in the GIII Bayshore S., then was third in both the GII Pat Day Mile S. and GI Woody Stephens S.

An entry who could be a pace factor is AMO Racing's Hurricane J (Nyquist). Formerly under Paulo Lobo's care, the dark bay colt made his first start for Jorge Delgado over the Gulfstream main track against optional claimers and won by 2 3/4 lengths Nov. 19.

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The Championship Meet, which includes racing over a new turf course, will begin Friday, Dec. 1 and conclude Sunday, Mar. 31. The Pegasus World Cup Day program will feature eight stakes, seven of which have been granted graded status.

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The Royal Palm Meet will get underway with live racing conducted Thursday through Sunday with a first-race post time set for 12:40 p.m. The Royal Palm Meet's stakes schedule includes 42 stakes worth $3.945 million through Dec. 2.

The $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, contested May 13, will provide the winner of each of the five-furlong turf stakes an automatic berth into one of six stakes for 2-year-olds at Royal Ascot in June, as well as a $25,000 equine travel stipend, in addition to the winner's share of the purse.

The $200,000 GII Princess Rooney, which has been customarily featured on the Summit of Speed program in early July, has been repositioned on the schedule for the upcoming meet. The seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, a traditional 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, will be renewed on Sept. 30.

The schedule for the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by nominated stallions standing in Florida has also been adjusted to allow more spacing between races. The FSS series will kick off Sept. 9 with the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies and $100,000 Dr. Fager at six furlongs. The $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies and the $200,000 Affirmed at seven furlongs will be contested Oct. 21, while the $300,000 My Dear Girl for fillies and $300,000 In Reality at 1 1/16 miles will be run Dec. 2. The $100,000 GIII Smile Sprint will be run July 1, supported by the $75,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint, a five-furlong turf sprint.

Gulfstream patrons will be able to watch and wager on the full cards of the upcoming Triple Crown events. Daily simulcasting of the Saratoga season will also be offered, in addition to racing signals throughout the country.

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Gulfstream's Championship Meet will once again feature Pegasus World Cup Day with the $3-million GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S., $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. and $500,000 GIII Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf S., as well as the $1-million GI Florida Derby Apr. 1 and $400,000 GII Fountain of Youth S. Mar. 4.

Maiden special weight purses will total $84,000 (including $14,000 from FTHA-FOA) beginning opening day of the Championship Meet Dec. 26–an increase of $24,000. Allowance races will total $86,000-$88,000 (including $14,000 from FTHA-FOA)–an increase of $25,000.

The Sunshine Meet's December calendar will see maiden special weight purses total $70,000 ($10,000 from FTHA-FOA) and allowance purses total between $71,000-$73,000 ($10,000 from FTHA-FOA). Increases will be $10,000.

December will also mark the start of racing on Gulfstream's new turf course, which has been enhanced with new drainage and irrigation systems.

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It was the first career win in Gulfstream's signature race for the 28-year-old Ortiz and his 138^th during the country's premier winter stand, surpassing Luis Saez's mark of 137 set in 2017-18. Ortiz approached the record in 2018-19, but finished with 135.

“It means a lot. We work so hard. I feels so good to get the feedback from the owners and the trainers. They support me. I say thanks to all of them,” Ortiz said. “When I say all of them, I mean all of them – from the claiming races to the stakes races. We have a lot of respect for Luis. It wasn't easy. He wins a lot of races here, too. We are so happy.”

Ortiz also was tops with 115 wins in 2019-20, and is now only the fourth jockey in history to win at least three consecutive Gulfstream riding titles joining Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, who won five straight from 2011-12 to 2015-16, Jorge Chavez (1999-2001) and Jeff Fell (1977-79).

Earlier Saturday, Ortiz tied the record aboard Joseph Imbesi's Sweet Bye and Bye in the $100,000 Sand Springs. He now has 14 stakes wins at the meet, including Grade 1 triumphs in the Florida Derby and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, the latter with Colonel Liam. Both Known Agenda and Colonel Liam are trained by Todd Pletcher.

The three-time defending Eclipse Award winner as champion jockey, Ortiz has posted 43 multi-win days at Gulfstream this winter, including a six-win effort Feb. 6 that fell just one short of the track's single-day record shared by Saez, Tyler Gaffalione and Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey.

Represented by agent Jay Rushing, Ortiz has also registered five five-win days, seven four-win days and nine three-win days during the Championship Meet.

“It means a lot. We ride a lot of races here and I always like to win. We try all the time but we can't win every meet. We try so hard and it's special,” Ortiz said. “My agent does hard work and I get a lot of support from the owners and trainers and I appreciate that. It means a lot honestly. I really like this meet. It's like summer, good weather, and the people here are big fans. They support all the jockeys so I'm really happy.”

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Luis Saez, who was edged out for the riding title by Irad Ortiz Jr. by one and two wins, respectively, the past two Championship Meets, will try to get off to a fast start for the 2020-2021 meet, accepting nine mounts on Wednesday's opening-day card.

Saez, who won back-to-back titles in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, is scheduled to ride Ashaar for defending training titlist Todd Pletcher in a six-furlong optional claiming allowance Race 8.

Ashaar, formerly trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, hasn't seen action since finishing seventh in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream. Ournationonparade, a stakes winner trained by Kathy Ritvo, is scheduled to make his first start since finishing fifth in the Sept. 5 Smile Sprint (G3).

In the co-featured Race 9, a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf for fillies and mares, Mark Casse-trained Catch a Thrill will look to breakthrough with a victory after finishing second in all three 2020 starts, including a Belmont race between two Gulfstream races. The 4-year-old daughter of City Zip finished second in the Melody of Colors Stakes at Gulfstream last season.

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Eighty-four days of world class racing at the historic Hallandale Beach racetrack will be kicked off next Wednesday, Dec. 2, but two days of racing remain at Gulfstream Park West with programs scheduled for Friday and Saturday following a day off for Thanksgiving.

Saturday's closing-day program at Gulfstream Park West will feature a mandatory 20-cent Rainbow 6 payout. The carryover jackpot stands at $309,455.81 entering the card on Friday, but the jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $450,000.

A 10-race program is scheduled at Gulfstream Park West for Friday, when Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Itsmyluckycharm will try to recapture her 3-year-old form in the Race 4 feature, a mile optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares. The 4-year-old daughter of Itsmyluckyday, who captured three stakes (one on turf) during her sophomore campaign, will make her second start off an eight-month layoff. Friday's Rainbow 6 sequence (Races 5-10) will follow.

Races 8 and 9 will also be included in Friday's Stronach 5, which will offer a carryover of $94,481.74 heading into betting on the popular Pick 5 wager that will also include Races 7, 8 and 9 at Laurel Park.

There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $3,149.69 heading into Friday's card.

On Saturday's closing day program featuring a mandatory payout, the Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10.

The GPW jockey and trainer title races have been contentious throughout the meet. Although he pulled into a dead heat with defending champion Edgard Zayas with a four-win day Sunday, Miguel Vasquez had already scheduled to take off the remainder of the meet, forgoing an opportunity to win his first South Florida title. Zayas moved back into the lead with his 40^th winner of the meet Wednesday when he scored aboard Honorable ($3.40) in Race 3. Emisael Jaramillo rode three winners on Wednesday's card to sit just three wins behind Zayas heading into Friday's program.

Entering Friday's card Rohan Crichton holds a 17-15 edge over both defending champion Saffie Joseph Jr. and Antonio Sano.

Following the conclusion of the Gulfstream Park West meet Saturday, live racing in South Florida will return at Gulfstream Park next Wednesday with the start of the Championship Meet. The stakes schedule will be kicked off Saturday, Dec. 5 with the Claiming Crown, a program of nine stakes restricted to horses that have raced for a claiming price at least once during the past two years. Jesus's Team, the runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) last time out, and Math Wizard, the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) winner, are scheduled to clash in the featured $150,000 Jewel.

A total of 75 stakes are scheduled for the Championship Meet, highlighted by 35 graded stakes, including the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) on Jan. 23, as well as the $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) March 27.

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