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‘I Still Think He’s The Best Horse I’ve Trained’: Joseph Hasn’t Stopped Believing In Collaborate

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. still has very high hopes for Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Collaborate after the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief's impressive optional claiming allowance score at Gulfstream Park last Sunday.

“I have a lot of belief in this horse. I know it hasn't shown yet, but hopefully, we're on the right path,” said Joseph, who reported Wednesday that the striking physical specimen exited his 5 ½-length victory in good order. “I still think he's the best horse I've trained, but I know he hasn't proved it yet.”

Collaborate, a $600,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, will be pointed to a stakes race for his next start – the 1 1/8-mile Curlin July 30 at Saratoga being the most likely target.

The Joseph trainee was so impressive while breaking his maiden by 12 ½ lengths at Gulfstream Feb. 27 that his connections entered him in the March 27 Curlin Florida Derby (G1), in which he finished fifth after a troubled start and a wide trip. Soon after, he underwent a minor throat procedure to open his air passage.

Collaborate returned to action in the 6 ½-furlong Roar Stakes May 15 at Gulfstream, finishing a disappointing third as the 2-5 favorite following a tardy start and wide trip.

“He's bred to run all day. The trip last time at 6 ½ [furlongs] was a bad decision on my part,” Joseph said. “The reason we cut him back is we thought his air got a little hinderance. I think the procedure worked.”

Collaborate fared much better while stretching out to a mile Sunday. The Kentucky-bred colt broke alertly to closely track the pacesetter while trapped on the rail along the backstretch. He split horses at the top of the stretch and drew off to a comfortable win under Edgard Zayas.

“He sat there and Edgard was really patient. He was in so tight, but Edgard didn't panic,” Joseph said. “It was a very professional race. The only way it could critique it is I would have liked to see him open up more, but he wasn't breathing hard after the race.”

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Grade 1 Winner Ce Ce Dominates Invitees To Princess Rooney

Bo Hirsch LLC's Ce Ce is still the most prominent invitee to the $350,000 Princess Rooney (G2) July 3 at Gulfstream Park.

The multiple Grade 1 stakes winner is also the most accomplished performer on the second of three invitational lists for the Princess Rooney, a seven-furlong Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' race for fillies and mares that will headline the Summit of Speed program that will also feature the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3), a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up.

Ce Ce, who captured the Beholder Mile (G1) at Santa Anita and the Apple Blossom (G1) at Oaklawn last year, is trained by Michael McCarthy, who ventured from his Santa Anita base with City of Light to win the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream in 2019. The 5-year-old daughter of Elusive Quality has raced twice this year, debuting with a 3 ¼-length victory in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance April 17 before coming up short in a fourth-place finish in the two-turn Santa Maria (G2) a month later.

Trainer Brad Cox, who took Gulfstream's top prize after saddling Knicks Go for a victory in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 23, is represented on the Princess Rooney invitational list by two horses. OXO Equine LLC's Mundaye Call joins Kueber Racing LLC and partners' Vault, who captured the Ruffian (G2) at Belmont last time out, on the list of 13 invitees.

Mundaye Call is one of five fillies and mares added to the second of three Princess Rooney invitation lists. Ciaglia Racing LLC and partners' Venetian Harbor, 2W Racing LLC's Bronx Beauty, e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Sound Machine, and and Saul Kupferberg's Honor Way are also first-time Princess Rooney invitees.

Venetian Harbor, a 4-year-old daughter of Munnings who captured the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland before finishing off the board in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) last year, made a victorious 2021 debut on turf in the June 5 Monrovia (G2) at Santa Anita. The Richard Baltas trainee finished second in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland and Test (G1) at Saratoga last year before winning the Raven Run.

The second of three Princess Rooney Invitational lists includes two others who are Grade 1 stakes-placed graded-stakes winners: Medallion Racing and partners' Estilo Talentoso and Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC's Victim of Love.

Juan Arriagada-trained Estilo Talentoso won two of six starts at Gulfstream, including a maiden score and an overnight-stakes victory, before hitting the road to finish in a dead-heat with Belle's the One for second in the Madison, check in third in the Derby City Distaff, and win the Bed o' Roses (G3) at Belmont. Todd Beattie-trained Victim of Love, who captured the May 8 Vagrancy (G3) at Belmont, concluded her 2020 racing second with a third-place finish in the Ballerina (G1) at Saratoga.

Holly Hill Stables LLC's Pacific Gale, who captured the Inside Information (G2) and Hurricane Bertie (G3) during Gulfstream's Championship Meet; LLC's Lake Avenue and Gary Barber's Laura's Light are Grade 2 stakes winners have been included on the first two invitation lists.

Daniel J Lopez and George Chestnut's Chub Wagon, who remained undefeated while winning the June 13 Shine Again at Pimlico; Godolphin LLC's Lakeside Avenue, runner-up in the Ruffian last time out; Gary Barber's Laura's Light, a multiple graded-stakes winner on turf; and Windylea Farms IV LLC's Thissmytime, who finished second behind Pacific Gale in the Inside Information; round out the Princess Rooney invitation list.

The third and final invitational list will be published June 27.

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C Z Rocket Tops Invitees To ‘Win And You’re In’ Smile Sprint

Madaket Stables LLC, Gary Barber and Tom Kagele's C Z Rocket tops a list of 15 invitees for the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3) July 3 at Gulfstream Park.

The Smile Sprint, a six-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up that will offer a $25,000 win-only bonus for Florida-bred entrants, will be featured on the Summit of Speed program that will be headlined by the $350,000 Princess Rooney (G2), a seven-furlong Breeders' Cup 'Win and You're In' sprint for fillies and mares.

Peter Miller-trained C Z Rocket won five straight races last year before finishing second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland. The multiple Grade 2 stakes winner won his first two 2021 starts, including a victory in the Count Fleet Sprint (G3) at Oaklawn, before coming up a little short to finish second last time out while stretching out in the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star Park.

Diamond Racing Club LLC and partners' Diamond Oops, the 2019 Smile Sprint champion who is being asked back to seek a second score in the race named for the 1986 Breeders' Cup Sprint champion, is a multiple graded-stakes winner who is Grade 1 stakes-placed on dirt and turf.

After winning the 2019 Smile, the Patrick Biancone-trained 6-year-old gelding went on to finish second in the Alfred G. Vanderbilt on dirt at Saratoga and the Shadwell Mile on turf at Keeneland. After starting his 2020 campaign with a solid fourth-place finish in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream while stretching out to 1 1/8 miles, Diamond Oops returned to one-turn races to win the Twin Spires Turf (G2) at Churchill and the Phoenix (G2) on dirt at Keeneland. The millionaire son of Lookin At Lucky followed up a pair of subpar efforts to capture a six-furlong overnight handicap June 5 at Gulfstream Park.

Michael Dubb's Chateau, who captured the Tom Fool (G3) at Aqueduct, is also prominent on the invitation list. The Rob Atras-trained 6-year-old gelding followed up his graded-stakes score in March with a fourth-place finish in the Carter (G1) at Aqueduct and a runner-up finish behind Firenze Fire in the Runhappy (G3) at Belmont.

Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher's Special Reserve made the Smile invitational list by winning the Maryland Sprint (G3) at Pimlico on the Preakness (G1) undercard. In the 5-year-old gelding's prior start, the Michael Maker trainee finished second in the Commonwealth (G3) at Keeneland.

Trainers Kathy Ritvo and Saffie Joseph Jr. are both represented on the Smile invitation list by three horses.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing owns the Ritvo-trained trio of Double Crown, Frosted Grace and Ournationonparade. Double Crown, who concluded his 2020 campaign with graded-stakes placings in the Smile Sprint and the Chick Lang (G3) at Pimlico, came off a 6 ½-month layoff to win a May 23 stakes-quality optional claiming allowance last time out. Frosted Grace, whom Dean and Patti Reeves own in partnership with William Branch, is graded stakes-placed in two of his three 2021 starts, including a troubled third behind Special Reserve in the Maryland Sprint last time out. Ournationonparade most recently finished third behind Diamond Oops June 5.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC's Chance It, the hero of the 2019 Florida Sire Stakes series and the winner of the 2020 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream, tops the Joseph trio. The 4-year-old son of Currency Swap recently came off a 14-month layoff to finish second behind Double Crown. Daniel Alonso's Wind of Change, who captured the ungraded Mr. Prospector at Monmouth last time out, and Elona Jones' Doc Amster, a last-out optional claiming allowance winner, also made the invitational list.

David Melin, Leon Ellman and Laurie Plesa's Miles Ahead, who was just a head behind Diamond Oops while finishing second in the June 5 overnight handicap at Gulfstream; Bell Racing LLC's Real Talk, an impressive winner of a recent six-furlong optional claiming allowance; Rigney Racing LLC's Rubus, an optional claiming allowance winner at Churchill Downs last time out; Jacks or Better Farm Inc.'s Shivaree, a multiple stakes winner who finished second behind Tiz the Law in the 2020 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream; and Lea Farms LLC's Willy Boi, who captured the Hutcheson during this year's Championship Meet at Gulfstream; round out the list of Smile Invitees.

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Graded Stakes Winner Sole Volante Returns To Action Saturday At Gulfstream

Sole Volante, who ran in two legs of the 2020 Triple Crown, will be return to action in Saturday's featured optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park.

The graded stakes-winning son of Karakontie is slated to come off a four-month layoff in Race 10, a mile optional claiming allowance on dirt on a 12-race program highlighted by the $75,000 Martha Washington Stakes, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

“We gave him a good break and two months on the farm to give him a chance to be a horse,” trained Patrick Biancone said. “We don't expect too much. We just want him to have a good run in his first race back.”

Sole Volante distinguished himself as a strong contender on the Road to the Triple Crown in 2020 when he won the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs before finishing second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2). Unfortunately, the Kentucky Derby (G1), the Preakness (G1) and the Belmont Stakes (G1) were postponed until later in the summer and fall.

Sole Volante came off a three-month layoff to win an optional claiming allowance, a stakes-quality mile race in which Jesus' Team, who would go on to finish third in the Preakness and second in both the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) and Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G2), finished second. Ten days later, the gelding owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and assistant trainer Andie Biancone finished sixth in the Belmont Stakes. The Biancone trainee went on to finish 11th in the Derby after being squeezed at the start before finishing off the board in a pair of turf stakes.

“He was ready early, but like everybody, everything was delayed because of problems with COVID,” Biancone said. “He was a little bit over the top when it came the right time. In May, he was just perfect.”

Sole Volante began his career with back-to-back victories on turf in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park West and the Pulpit Stakes at Gulfstream Park in the fall of 2019. He finished a promising third in his dirt and 2020 debut in the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream prior to his strong performances at Tampa Bay Downs.

Saturday's one-turn mile race attracted a strong field of six older horses, including graded-stakes winner Trophy Chaser, who is scheduled to make a long-awaited return from a 13-month layoff. The Juan Carlos Avila-trained son of Twirling Candy, who won the 2020 Challenger Stakes at Tampa.

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