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FHBPA and Gulfstream Host Holiday Lunch for Backstretch Workers

The Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Gulfstream Park hosted their annual Christmas lunch Monday and Tuesday, serving more than 500 backstretch workers at Gulfstream Park, Gulfstream Park West and Palm Meadows. Workers also received tickets for bike raffles.

The FHBPA and Gulfstream Park worked alongside Pastor Tom Lapointe of His Place Ministries and the director of chaplaincy programs at Gulfstream Park for the annual event.

“It went great,” said Herb Oster, Director of Special Projects for the HBPA. “Obviously, things were a little different this year. We usually have Santa come by and we usually have it at the [north grandstand and apron] on Gulfstream’s front side, but it was a good event. No one congregated and everyone practiced social distancing. We need to take care of our people. In my opinion, these people are the hardest working in the industry.”

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Street Sense Juvenile Filly Zaajel Makes Eye-Catching Debut For Pletcher At Gulfstream

The parade of impressive Todd Pletcher-trained maiden special weight winners into Gulfstream Park's winner's circle continued Sunday following a sharp debut score by Shadwell Stable's Zaajel at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.

The homebred daughter of Street Sense ($8.20) drew off to a 7 ¼-length victory in Race 7, a seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies.

“She'd been training forwardly. She was a half-step slow from the gate the other morning – she tossed her head a little at the break. We stood her a few times and she was good, so we went ahead and ran her today, thinking she was ready to go,” Pletcher said. “Seven furlongs is a good starting point for her.”

Zaajel stalked the early pace set by Mail Order, a debuting son of Liam's Map for trainer Bill Mott, before making a move on the turn to take the lead at the top of the stretch and drawing away to a comfortable win under Luis Saez.

“We'll play it by ear. She's clearly a filly that wants more distance. That's always exciting when you have one break their maiden at a shorter distance,” Pletcher said.

Zaajel ran seven furlongs in 1:23.81 to prevail over Pletcher-trained Unbridled d'Oro, the 2-1 favorite who closed from 10^th to finish second under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Pletcher, who is seeking to capture his 17th Championship Meet title, has enjoyed early-season success with debut winners, including WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Prime Factor, a highly promising juvenile son of Quality Road who scored by 8 ¾ lengths Dec. 12, and Shadwell's Arham, a 3-year-old son of Union Rags who graduated by eight lengths on Wednesday. Pletcher also scored on Dec. 12 with Donegal Racing's Donegal Bay, a juvenile son of Uncle Mo who graduated by 4 ¼ lengths.

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Gulfstream Park: $150,000 Rainbow 6 Jackpot Guarantee Wednesday; Gaffalione Red-Hot

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $150,000 Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Sunday following Saturday's mandatory payout. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $2,869.44.

There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover Wednesday of $3,674.66.

The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

WHO'S HOT: Tyler Gaffalione, who rode four winners Saturday, came right back to win three races on Sunday. Gaffalione, who rode Sleepy Eyes Todd to victory in Saturday's $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3), scored aboard Nitro Time ($4.80) in Race 1, Comp'd ($25) in Race 4 and Digital Footprint ($5.90) in Race 6.

Luis Saez doubled notched back-to-back victories aboard Zaajel ($8.20) in Race 7 and Omnia ($17.60) in Race 8. Edgard Zayas also rode a pair of winners, scoring aboard No Que No ($19) in Race 3 and Scar ($16.80) in Race 9.

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Sleepy Eyes Todd Pointed Toward Pegasus After Win In Mr. Prospector

Thumbs Up Racing LLC's Sleepy Eyes Todd pulled ahead in the final furlong to win the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. in front of 5-2 favorite, Firenze Fire.

Fourth-place finisher Wind of Change took the early lead setting the pace through fractions of :22.07, :44.35, and 1:09.05 on a fast track. Sent off at odds of 5-1, Sleepy Eyes Todd charged to the lead in the stretch followed closely by Firenze Fire, but held him off to win the seven-furlong race by a half-length with a final time of 1:21.67. Mind Control took third followed by Wind of Change. Sleepy Eyes Todd returned $12.20 on a $2 win bet.

This is the second graded stakes win for the 4-year-old son of Paddy O'Prado out of the Wild Rush mare, Pledge Mom. He is trained by Miguel Silva and was ridden to victory by Tyler Gaffalione. Prior to today, Sleepy Eyes Todd had won 7 of 14 starts for Silva including the G2 Charles Town Classic Stakes. Sleepy Eyes Todd was bred in Kentucky by Two Hearts Farm LLC and Kristen Goncharoff and sold as a weanling at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $9,000.

“This is the best horse we've ever had,” Silva said. “We've always been high on him. We wanted to take him to the Kentucky Derby [last year] but he had a little issue and we had to stop with him. He's always been a nice horse. We've always believed in him,”

Silva confirmed in a post-race interview that he plans to run Sleepy Eyes Todd in the G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park Jan. 23.

“Everything set up perfectly,” said Gaffalione. “He broke well and put himself in the race. I was able to get a nice tracking spot inside. He gave me all the confidence going into the stretch and once he found a spot he accelerated and finished the job. All the credit goes to the trainer. He did a fabulous job getting him ready for today.”

“To be honest, if you look at his form he's run in all the big races across the country and he's run at every track and he takes his form with him everywhere he goes, so you know he's consistent and he shows up every time,” he added. “We just had to work out a trip. I thought I'd be tracking Firenze Fire but I wound up a little bit in front of him which I didn't mind, and got the jump on him.”

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