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Gulfstream Adds Four Stakes Over New Tapeta Course To Fall Meet Schedule

Four stakes on the newly-installed Tapeta course will be featured during Gulfstream Park's Fall Meet, scheduled to get under way Thursday, Sept. 30 and run through Nov. 21.

The $60,000 Journeyman Stud Juvenile, a mile-and-70-yard race for Florida-bred 2-year-olds, will be the first stakes to be run over the all-weather Tapeta course an Oct. 23 program that will also feature the $60,000 Khozan Juvenile Fillies Sprint, a seven-furlong sprint for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies on the main track.

The $60,000 Brethren Juvenile Fillies, a mile-and-70-yard race on Tapeta for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies, is scheduled to be renewed a week later on an Oct. 30 program that will also offer the $60,000 Ocala Stud Juvenile Sprint, a seven-furlong stakes for Florida-bred 2-year-olds on dirt.

The $65,000 Cellars Shiraz, a mile-and-70-yard event on Tapeta for 3-year-old fillies, is scheduled for Nov. 5 and the $65,000 Showing Up, a mile-and-70-yard race on Tapeta for 3-year-olds, is slated for Nov. 6.

The Journeyman Stud Juvenile, Brethren Juvenile Fillies, Cellars Shiraz and Showing Up were all contested on turf last season during the final Gulfstream Park West Meet.

The first official race on the Tapeta track is scheduled for Sept. 23, when Gulfstream Park will make history, becoming the only racetrack in the Americas with the ability to conduct races on turf, dirt and Tapeta surfaces.

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Stronach 5 Returns Friday With Four Turf Races From Gulfstream, Laurel

The Stronach 5, offering a low 12-percent takeout, returns Friday with the first four races in the sequence on the turf from Gulfstream Park and Laurel Park.

The Stronach 5 kicks off at 4:12 ET with Gulfstream's fifth races and concludes at approximately 5:45 with the third race at Golden Gate Fields.

The first leg of the Stronach 5 is a maiden special weight event at 7 ½ furlongs on Gulfstream's turf for 2-year-old fillies. Ocean Safari, a daughter of Temple City, will break from the rail. The filly makes her second start for trainer Gilberto Zerpa after finishing third by a neck in her debut July 31. Palmach, a daughter of Violence, makes her debut for trainer Mark Casse and jockey Edwin Gonzalez. Casse will also send out Keen Contender, third in her debut Aug. 6.

The Stronach 5 heads to Laurel for the second and third legs. Laurel's eighth race, a $48,000 allowance event at 5 ½ furlongs for 3-year-olds and up, drew a dozen including Town of Gold, who has placed first, second or third in five of six starts on the turf. Trained by Jorge Duarte Jr., Town of Gold, a son of Speightstown, was seventh at Monmouth under similar conditions last out after a six-month layoff. Prince Pere, who has placed first, second or third in four of five turf starts, goes out for Michael Merryman and jockey Sheldon Russell. Hard to Be Humble goes out first off the claim for Hugh McMahon.

Laurel's ninth race, the third leg of the sequence, is a claiming event at 5 ½ furlongs for 3, 4, and 5-year-old maidens. Fake I D drops a bit in class for Sarah Nagle while making his fourth start. Gambling Man, a 3-year-old son of Seville, makes his debut for Aimee Hall.

Gulfstream's seventh race, a mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up, is a competitive 10-horse field. Rocket Joe Copper, a five-time winner on the turf for Kathleen O'Connell, comes into the race off a 7-length victory over a sloppy main track. Sharm El Sheikh comes into the race off a victory over the turf for trainer Murat Sancal. Positive Phil won two consecutive races in May and June before finishing ninth in his last and being claimed by Alfredo Cazares.

The Stronach 5 concludes at Golden Gate Fields with the third race, a one-mile event for claimers 3 and up. Jonathan Wong sends out Drasario. The 4-year-old gelded son of Dragon Pulse hopes to break his maiden in his 15th start while drawing the rail.

Friday's races and sequence

Leg One –Gulfstream Race 5: (10 entries, 7 ½ furlongs turf) 4:12 ET, 1:12 PT
Leg Two –Laurel Race 8: (12 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 4:20 ET, 1:20 PT
Leg Three –Laurel Race 9: (10 entries, 5 furlongs turf) 4:53 ET, 1:53 PT
Leg Four –Gulfstream Race 7: (10 entries, 5 ½ furlongs turf) 5:16 ET, 2:16 PT
Leg Five –Golden Gate Race 3: (8 entries, 1 mile) 5:45 ET, 2:45 PT

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Fans can watch and wager on the action at 1/ST.COM/BET as well as stream all the action in English and Spanish at LaurelPark.com, SantaAnita.com, GulfstreamPark.com, and GoldenGateFields.com.

The minimum wager on the multi-race, multi-track Stronach 5 is $1. If there are no tickets with five winners, the entire pool will be carried over to the next Friday.

If a change in racing surface is made after the wagering closes, each selection on any ticket will be considered a winning selection. If a betting interest is scratched, that selection will be substituted with the favorite in the win pool when wagering closes.

The Maryland Jockey Club serves as host of the Stronach 5.

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‘Late Bloomer’ Starship Nterprise Headlines Gulfstream’s Miss Gracie

Fresh off a stakes victory with Choose Joy in Sunday's Village of Biscayne Park, owner/trainer Steve Dwoskin is hoping that Starship Nterprise can take him back in the Gulfstream Park winner's circle in Saturday's $75,000 Miss Gracie, a 7 ½-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

The daughter of Honor Code, who had gone winless in her first eight starts, has emerged as a very promising stakes performer during the Spring/Summer Meet in her last three starts.

“She's a lot like Choose Joy,” said Dwoskin, who owns Starship Nterprise with long-time client Starship Stables. “She's also a late bloomer.”

Unlike Choose Joy, strictly a turf sprinter, Starship Nterprise has done her best running going long, both on turf and dirt.

Starship Enterprise was on the board in five of her first eight starts but didn't break through until winning a $50,000 maiden claiming race at a mile on turf May 23 at Gulfstream. The Kentucky-bred 3-year-old filly came right back to pull off a 33-1 upset victory in the Martha Washington at a mile on turf. She went on to show versatility in the off-the-turf Monroe, a mile stakes in which she led late before falling a neck short of holding off Key Biscayne, who's been competitive in Grade 1 and 2 races.

“I ran her in a claimer for $50,000 and she got her confidence there,” Dwoskin said. “She's working excellent. She worked Saturday very good, and we expect her to run good. She's ready to run.”

Miguel Vasquez, who was victorious aboard Starship Nterprise in the Martha Washington the only time he has ridden her, has the call Saturday.

Karl and Cathi Glassman's Restofthestory is entered to make her turf debut in the Miss Gracie after finishing first, second or third, in seven of eight career starts on dirt. The Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained daughter of Jess's Dream, who finished second in the $400,000 FSS My Dear Girl last year, is coming off a second-place finish in the seven-furlong Azalea.

Hector Berrios has the mount on the Florida-bred filly.

Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is represented by three entrants in the Miss Gracie field – Peachtree Stable's Champagne Ivy, Sayjay Racing LLC and Greg Hall's Cultured, and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Tik Tok Famous.

Champagne Ivy, who finished fifth in the Martha Washington, is coming off an Aug. 6 maiden special weight score at a mile on turf; Cultured will be making her first start since finishing off the board behind Grade 1 winner Con Lima in the May 1 Honey Ryder; Tik Tok Famous finished eighth in the Martha Washington following a slow start.

Edgard Zayas, Edwin Gonzalez and Emisael Jaramillo will ride Champagne Ivy, Cultured and Tik Tok Famous, respectively.

Philip DiCosmo's Sunshine City, Stephen Screnci's Kate's Kingdom and Clap Embroidery's Frankie's Girl round out the field.

Saturday's 12-race program has a 12:20 p.m. first race post and includes six races scheduled on the turf.

Racing returns to Gulfstream Friday with a guaranteed pool in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 of $600,000.

The Rainbow 6 kicks off with the fifth race, a claiming event for 3-year-olds and up at a mile on the main track. The sequence will include three turf races, a maiden special weight event at six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies, and a $62,500 allowance optional claimer at six furlongs featuring 2020 Gotham (G3) runner-up Untitled, Hutcheson winner Willy Boi, third-place Nashua (G3) finisher Isolate, and Challenger (G3) winner Trophy Chaser, making his first start in 16 months.

First race post is 2 p.m.

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Former Boxer: Jockey Joey Martinez Making A Name For Himself At Gulfstream

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Joey Martinez is a proud New Yorker whose boyhood dream came true when he rode his first career winner at Aqueduct Dec. 9, 2016.

The 27-year-old jockey, an avid New York Yankees fan, went on to enjoy a productive apprenticeship while riding at Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga.

He couldn't imagine riding anywhere else.

However, Martinez would find himself at a crossroads that would eventually lead him to Gulfstream Park instead of Saratoga this summer following a business slowdown upon losing his apprentice weight allowance, sustaining a broken collarbone during a training-hours mishap, and the passing of his grandmother.

“I'm from New York. I'm not a name rider yet like I want to be. Going to Saratoga, they want the Top 5, I understand that,” Martinez said. “I'm a Yankees fan. If you're in the ninth inning, you're going to put in your best closing pitcher, rather than the guy just starting out. Of course, they want the bigger names instead of Martinez. I'd rather go somewhere else and show who Joey Martinez is.”

A third-generation jockey, Martinez rode his last race in New York at Aqueduct on Dec. 13.

“Unfortunately, my grandmother passed away last November and I went to Ocala, Florida to take care of my grandfather,” he said. “That's why I haven't been riding.”

Martinez rode a couple of races at Penn National in April before calling jockey agent P.J. Campo in New York.

“I reached out to him. I said, 'What do you think of me going to Gulfstream with you representing me, if you're interested?'” Martinez said. “He said, 'How soon can you get there?' I said, 'I'll pack my stuff can go now.'”

Martinez, who was a promising amateur boxer during his teen years, has brought a fighter's mentality to Gulfstream Park.

“I didn't go to the Olympic Trials to officially make the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012 because I wanted to ride horses and be a jockey,” said Martinez, who finished third aboard the 39-1 shot Northern Transit Sunday. “I had an offer from Golden Boy Promotions to turn professional, but I still said, 'No, I want to be a jockey.'”

Martinez, who regards veteran jockey Jose Lezcano as a mentor and friend, may be still fighting to make a name for himself, but it isn't due to a lack of confidence in his abilities.

“I'm not a cocky man at all, but I'm very, very confident. Coming down the stretch, I feel like nobody can beat me. That's the confidence I have,” Martinez said. “I finish really strong and I think what helps me get a lot out of horses is that I'm always relaxed and very patient. I believe the more comfortable and relaxed you are on a horse, they'll be as comfortable as you are. I go you there and have fun. I come out of the gate and try to find my position and let the horse tell me what he wants to do. Let him find a comfortable rhythm.”

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