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Florida HBPA Honors Dwoskin, Con Lima At Annual Awards Ceremony

The Florida HBPA held its annual General Nominating Meeting and Awards Dinner Saturday night at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., with nearly 100 owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, and racing executives in attendance at Ten Palms. The guest speaker was the new President and CEO of the NTRA, Tom Rooney. The evening closed with the annual FHBPA Awards Ceremony. Host Ron Nicoletti announced the winners in nine categories.

“Each year, the Florida HBPA recognizes the horses that shine not just during the Championship Meet, but year-round in South Florida,” FHBPA President Stephen Screnci said. “All of our Champions competed at Gulfstream during the Royal Palm and Flamingo Festival meets that run from April through November.

“We also changed it up a little this year to honor one of our owners or trainers not just for their accomplishments on the racetrack, but also for their contributions to our community,” Screnci added. “Steve Dwoskin is our first FHBPA 'Person of Distinction,' and we couldn't have found a worthier candidate for the award.”

An owner and trainer in South Florida since 1969, Dwoskin has long been a partner with Sylvester Comprehensive Care Center, a part of the University of Miami Health System (UHealth). A generous donation to Sylvester helped to fund the Dwoskin Proton Therapy Center, which began treating patients with advanced and precise radiation therapy last September.

He is also the owner/trainer of this year's Champion Older Filly/Mare Choose Joy.

Dwoskin, who lost his father and brother to cancer, was emotional when he said, “I can handle most anything, but I couldn't handle it when my brother and my father got cancer. When I first got involved [with Sylvester], it was strictly for research, trying to find a cure for cancer. But I got pretty strong there, and I started helping people, friends, and family. If anyone from the horse industry ever needs help, I'm here for you. Helping people – that's what makes me feel really good.”

The complete list of the 2021 FHBPA Champions is:

Person of Distinction: Steve Dwoskin

Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding: Octane (Arindel, Owner; Carlos David, Trainer)

Two-Year-Old Filly: Outfoxed (LNJ Foxwoods, Owner; Bill Mott, Trainer)

Three-Year-Old Colt: Papetu (Magic Stables LLC, Owner; Antonio Sano, Trainer)

Three-Year-Old Filly: Con Lima (Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson, Owner; Todd Pletcher, Trainer)

Older Horse/Gelding: Miles Ahead (David Melin, Leon Ellman, and Laurie Plesa, Owner; Eddie Plesa, Trainer)

Older Filly/Mare: Choose Joy (Steve Dwoskin, Owner/Trainer)

Turf Horse/Gelding: Warrior's Pride (Just for Fun Stables, Owner; Antonio Cioffi, Trainer)

Turf Filly/Mare: Shifty She (Chris Pallas and Harvey Rothenberg, Owner; Saffie Joseph Jr., Trainer)

The Dinner also featured the nominations for the 2022 FHPBA Election, which will be announced next week.

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Octane Overpowers In Reality Stakes Field At Gulfstream

Arindel's Octane overpowered his opposition at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Saturday with a gutsy front-running victory in the $400,000 In Reality, the open-division finale of the 2021 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes.

The In Reality, a 1 1/16-mile route for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions, co-headlined Saturday's 12-race program with the $400,000 My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile finale for Florida-sired 2-year-old fillies.

Coming off a front-running score in the $200,000 Affirmed, the seven-furlong second leg of the lucrative series for Florida-sired juveniles, Octane offered a repeat performance while carrying his natural speed around two turns for the first time.

The homebred son of Brethren broke alertly from his No. 7 post position to take the lead on the first turn and show the way along the backstretch, where he came under strong pressure to his outside by Cattin. Octane put away Cattin on the far turn, where Cajun's Magic, the Affirmed runner-up, launched his bid after saving ground behind the pacesetters. The winner of the first leg of the FSS Series, the $100,000 Dr. Fager, kicked in through the stretch but was no match for Octane, the even-money favorite who scored by 1 ¾ lengths to win his third straight race since finishing second in his career debut.

The Carlos David-trained Octane ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.97 under Emisael Jaramillo. Cajun's Magic, who was ridden by Jesus Rios, finished 6 ½ lengths clear of third-place finisher Cattin.

“I have plenty of confidence in Jaramillo. He's a great rider. He's one of the top jocks here in the summer and in the winter, as well. The plan was, obviously, he's got speed, so we don't want to take that away from him. Just break good, sit outside a little bit and whenever he wants to make the lead, let him do it and see where he goes,” David said. “He's got that speed and every time you have a horse that goes to the lead [distance] is always a question. I'm just glad he was able to do it. He's got a lot of talent.”

Octane exceeded the early expectations of Arindel stable manager Brian Cohen with his impressive two-turn debut.

“It's great. Carlos has done a great job. Back before we sent him to Carlos, he worked one time on the farm super-fast. I wanted to send him a good one. He's a little horse and Carlos does great with these speed horses,” Cohen said. “I never thought that he'd be doing the mile and a sixteenth. He just gets out there and doesn't stop. We're so happy. We have the perfect rider for him. It was just a great effort and a great effort by those guys.”

By passing the two-turn test in the In Reality, his connections have reason to at least take a look at the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., Nov. 5.

“We'll see how the numbers come back and we'll talk to Carlos and see how we fit,” Cohen said. “No rush, but we'll make a decision in the next week or so.”

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Florida Sire Series Wraps Up With My Dear Girl, In Reality Saturday At Gulfstream

The $1.4 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series will wrap up Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., with the $400,000 My Dear Girl, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for fillies, and the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile open division.

The FSS series finals for 2-year-olds sired accredited Florida stallions will be supported on Saturday's program by the $125,000 FSS Wildcat Heir, a mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up sired by accredited Florida Stallions, and the $100,000 Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds.

LNJ Foxwoods' Outfoxed, a breathtaking 13 ½-length winner of the $200,000 FSS Susan's Girl Aug. 28 at Gulfstream, is the star attraction in the My Dear Girl. The Bill Mott-trained daughter of Valiant Minister has subsequently had a pair of half-mile breezes at Gulfstream.

Outfoxed broke her maiden in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl while coming off a third-place finish behind Echo Zulu in a Saratoga maiden special weight race July 15. Echo Zulu came right back to capture the Sept. 5 Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga.

Stonehedge LLC's Cajun's Magic, the winner of the $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager, and Arindel's Octane, who captured the $200,000 FSS Affirmed, are slated to clash in the In Reality around two turns. Octane led throughout the Affirmed while finishing 3 ¼ lengths clear of runner-up Cajun's Magic.

Gulfstream will also host the Taste at the Track event Saturday Bourbon & BBQ. The unlimited testing event begins at 1 p.m. in the Flamingo Room. Guests will be able to enjoy a variety of southern-style dishes, paired with your favorite premium bourbons, whiskeys and handcrafted cocktails.

For tickets go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taste-at-the-track-bourbon-bbq-tickets-165899514915

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Octane Powers To Victory In Affirmed At Gulfstream

Octane set a quick early pace, but the Arindel homebred had plenty left in the tank for the stretch on his way to a commanding 3 ¼ -length victory in the $200,000 Affirmed at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Affirmed, a seven-furlong open-division sprint, and the $200,000 Affirmed, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies, co-headlined Saturday's second leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes for juveniles sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.

Octane, one of four Arindel homebred sons of Brethren in an 11-horse field, broke alertly from his rail position and rushed up to lead along the backstretch, pressed by Lightning Larry and stalked by Big and Classy, $100,000 FSS Dr. Fager winner Cajun's Magic, and King Cab. Octane set fractions of :22.50 and :45.24 for the first half-mile with Cajun's Magic looming prominently in pursuit turning into the stretch. The Dr. Fager winner gave it his best shot, but Octane kicked clear through the stretch under Emisael Jaramillo to complete the seven furlongs in 1:25.16.

Cajun's Magic, the 7-5 favorite, finished second under Jesus Rios, three lengths ahead of Big and Classy and jockey Edwin Gonzalez.

Octane, who finished second in his June 18 debut, was coming off a July 17 maiden victory in which he overcame traffic and fractious behavior at the starting gate.

“I love this little horse. He's small but he has a ton of heart,” trainer Carlos David said. “He was a little bit nervous prior to his second start. He was a little wild behind the gate. I had to put a lot of gate work into him and teach him to stand right. He's got some growing up to do, but I think he's going to be all right.”

Octane, who was sent to post at 10-1, was stretching out two furlongs from his five-furlong maiden score.

“I think the workout he had about a week ago was key. It was five furlongs, galloping out three-quarters in 1:13. That told me that he can definitely get the distance. I was very confident coming into this race,” David said.

The 2021 Florida Sire Stakes series will conclude Sept. 25 at Gulfstream with the open-division $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies. Both races will be run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles.

“I know the next leg is a mile-and-sixteenth, so it is challenging. I'll have to talk to the connections. Arindel has been great. They've given me the opportunity to train for them,” David said. “We have great communication. We'll talk about it and make a plan.”

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