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Sunday Insights: Tapit-Havre de Grace Filly Debuts at Gulfstream

6th-GP, $55K, Msw, 3yo, f, 7f, 2:37 p.m. ET
PERFECT GRACE (Tapit), a 3-year-old daughter of 2011 Horse of the Year and champion older mare Havre de Grace (Saint Liam), kicks off her career for trainer Ralph Nicks. The Whisper Hill Farm homebred, given a 6-1 chance on the morning line, is drawn widest of all in post seven with Emisael Jaramillo aboard. Mandy Pope's operation went to $10 million to acquire Havre de Grace at the 2012 FTKNOV sale. TJCIS PPs

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Gulfstream Park: American Prince Registers Sharp Maiden Score; Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Has $950,000 Guarantee

Irving Cowan's American Prince debuted at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., on Sunday with a thoroughly dominating 3 ½-length victory, leaving a field of equally well-bred 3-year-olds.

The son of Liam's Map ($13.80) broke alertly under Emisael Jaramillo, shook off early pressure and drew off to a decisive triumph in the six-furlong maiden special weight test carded as Race 3 on a 12-race program.

“I thought he had some potential. This was a real good race. I didn't know if he had enough to outrun real good horses right now,” trainer Ralph Nicks said. “He's a half to Remarkable Soul, who we won a couple of races with here. She was a talented filly. Hopefully, he has her talent and maybe a little more.”

Harvard, a full brother to 2016 Eclipse Award-winning juvenile champion and 2017 Preakness runner-up Classic Empire, rallied to finish second.

American Prince ran six furlongs in 1:10.40 under Emisael Jaramillo.

A first-level optional claiming allowance is the likely target for American Prince, said Nicks.

“It's a long year,” he said.

Wednesday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $950,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $950,000 Wednesday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the sixth straight racing day Sunday since a lucky bettor broke the jackpot for $712,824.06 Feb. 22. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $61,262.28 Sunday.

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.

There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover Wednesday of $10,146.85.

WHO'S HOT: Irad Ortiz Jr. added a pair of winners to his meet-leading total, scoring aboard Luann ($2.80) in Race 2, Aviano ($6.80) in Race 8 and Ghostly Beauty ($6) in Race 10.

Emisael Jaramillo doubled, scoring aboard Tellington ($70.80) in Race 1 and impressive debut winner American Prince ($13.80) in Race 3.

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano scored back-to-back aboard Zia's Song ($34.40) in Race 4 and Glory of Florida ($16.60) in Race 5.

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Gulfstream Park: Walder Win Streak Hits Seven, Gaffalione Reaches 1,500 Milestone; Thursday’s Rainbow Jackpot Has $300,000 Guaranteeth

Trainer Peter Walder extended his winning streak to seven Wednesday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., after saddling High Heater ($15) for a front-running victory in Race 2, a seven-furlong sprint for $12,000 claimers.

“Everything is clicking. The right races are coming at the right time. Horses are just doing good,” Walder said. “The game is a rollercoaster. I'm a streaky trainer to begin with. I don't want to curse myself, but I might go 0-for-the-next month. I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.”

Walder saddled one winner from one starter last Wednesday and last Thursday before going 3-for-3 Friday and scoring with his only starter on Saturday.

Walder's streak of winning starters was also broken in Race 2 when stablemate Surf Shack finished second, a neck behind High Heater. However, the veteran trainer can extend a winning-races streak with Time to Two Step in Friday's Race 2.

Gaffalione Notches Career Win No. 1500 at Gulfstream
Tyler Gaffalione has notched yet another career milestone at Gulfstream Park, where he rode his 1,500th winner while guiding Awesome Pudding to a debut victory in Wednesday's Race 4, a six-furlong dash for $50,000 maiden claimers.

The 26-year-old native of Davie, Fla., rode his first winner, Holdin Bullets, at Gulfstream September 7, 2014, and reached the 1,000-win milestone Aboard Mission From Elle at the Hallandale Beach track Dec. 30, 2018.

Gaffalione, who won the Eclipse Award as the nation's leading apprentice while riding full time at Gulfstream in 2015, teamed with trainer Ralph Nicks for three victories on Wednesday's program. They scored back-to-back victories with Shoug ($5.60) in Race 3 and Awesome Pudding ($28.60) in Race 4 before winning Race 6 with Dassult Mirage ($9).

“I've been so fortunate during my career. I've always gotten tremendous support from the owners and trainers. I owe a lot to my agent Matt Muzikar. These horses keep showing up,” Gaffalione said. “I'm just living the dream.”

Tyler also holds a share of the Gulfstream Park record for most wins on a card, becoming only the second jockey with seven winners July 4, 2017. Jerry Bailey (3/11/1996), Luis Saez (1/24/2018 and 3/29/2018) and Paco Lopez (3/11/2020) have also ridden seven winners in a day.

Thursday's Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $300,000

Gulfstream Park's 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $300,000 Thursday.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the second racing day since a lucky bettor broke the jackpot for $712,824.06 Saturday. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $5,000.14 Wednesday.

WHO'S HOT: Irad Ortiz Jr. reached the 100-win plateau for the Championship Meet while riding Fulmini ($6) to victory in Race 10. The two-time defending titlist also scored aboard Kate's Kingdom ($11) in Race 1.

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‘I’m Ready To Go’: Castellano Returns To The Saddle On Wednesday At Gulfstream Park

Out of action since having leg surgery in mid-November, Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano is set to launch his comeback Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Castellano, 43, is named aboard Jacks or Better Farm's 3-year-old homebred Sexy Dream, a half-sister to multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Jackson Bend, in Race 9, a starter/optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the grass.

Trained by Ralph Nicks, Sexy Dream will break from Post 10 in a field of 11. Castellano is represented by agent John Panagot.

“I'm really excited and looking forward to it,” Castellano said. “It's the first time that I've been off for so long, three months, but I'm ready to go. I feel 100 percent and I'm ready to get back to work.”

Castellano won a record five consecutive Championship Meet riding titles at Gulfstream from 2011-'12 through 2015-'16. During that time, he was voted the Eclipse Award as champion jockey four times, from 2013-'16.

“I'm very excited, especially to be at Gulfstream Park. It's a special place for me,” Castellano said. “It's my home and I love it. That's where I first started, in South Florida, to ride horses and hopefully I can get some good mounts and start getting some momentum.”

A winner of 5,328 races and more than $354 million in purse earnings, Castellano had arthroscopic surgery to clean up some debris in his right leg, near the hip, Nov. 16 in New York. He went through physical therapy and returned to Florida earlier this month to start getting on horses.

“I was able to get on some horses and then I had to stop to follow the protocol with the quarantine and everything,” he said. “But I feel good and ready and ready to go back to work.”

Castellano is named on two horses Thursday, Feb. 18 – Let's Go Stable's 3-year-old filly Deemed Essential in a maiden special weight for meet-leading trainer Todd Pletcher and Madaket Stables, Kent Spellman and Team Hanley's All Come True, a 4-year-old filly trained by Graham Motion.

“I can't wait,” Castellano said. “I am thankful for all the support from the trainers and owners.”

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