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Costanzo Named Gulfstream Racing Secretary

Michael Costanzo has been appointed Gulftream Park’s new racing secretary, replacing the outgoing Dave Bailey. Costanzo had served as the track’s assistant racing secretary for the past year. A Chicago native and graduate of the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program, he joined the Gulfstream racing office in 2009 and was its stakes coordinator for five years before becoming assistant racing secretary. He was previously part of the Breeders’ Cup notes team and public relations manager at Calder Race Course.

“We’re delighted with the work Mike has done for more than 10 years at Gulfstream. He’s excelled at all positions and he has a great understanding of the industry,” said Mike Lakow, Vice President of Racing at Gulfstream. “His hard work and dedication has earned him this promotion, which is well deserved. We are confident Mike will build on our year-round program.”

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Dayoutoftheoffice Drills in Keeneland Mud

Blazing Meadows Farm and Siena Farm’s three-for-three GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies hopeful Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) turned in her first published breeze since annexing Belmont’s GI Frizette S. in the Keeneland mud Friday, covering five panels in 1:00.40 (1/3). The dark bay worked solo through splits of :12.80, :25.40, :37.00 and galloped out in 1:12.80 and 1:27 flat.

“I think it was her best work. She finished up really strong and galloped out great,” said trainer Tim Hamm, who co-owns the filly under his Blazing Meadows banner. “I weighed working [tomorrow] and went out and looked at the track twice and saw it was opened up. Plus, the timing was a lot better today.”

A debut winner at Gulfstream in May, Dayoutoftheoffice took Saratoga’s GIII Schuylerville S. by six lengths before stretching out to a one-turn mile in the Oct. 10 Frizette.

“I have been waiting for two turns all year,” Hamm said of the Breeders’ Cup trip. “We would have run in [Keeneland’s GI Darley] Alcibiades [S. Oct. 2] had the timing been a little bit different. We are looking forward to two turns.”

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Cox ‘A’ Team, Essential Quality Work Towards ‘Future Stars Friday’

A trio of Brad Cox-trained juveniles headed towards the ‘Future Stars Friday’ Breeders’ Cup program at Keeneland Nov. 6, got in their final major moves at soggy Churchill Downs Friday morning.

The first of the threesome at 9 a.m. was Godolphin’s ‘TDN Rising Star‘ Essential Quality (Tapit), who figures the second choice in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on the strength of his 3 1/4-length victory in the GI Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland Oct. 3. The hombred son of Grade III-placed Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) worked five furlongs outside of his MGSW stablemate Mr. Misunderstood (Archarcharch) in 1:01, with early fractions of :12 flat and :24 1/5, according to track clocker John Nichols.

“Essential Quality is growing up well. He’s continuing to learn and I’m very pleased with how he’s progressing,” said Cox, who has won three Breeders ‘Cup races in the last two years. “He has a ton of raw talent which he’s shown in both of his starts. We added blinkers to him over the summer to help him focus a little bit more and they’ve really helped. We have experience around two turns and we have experience at Keeneland, which is always helpful. It’s 1 1/16 miles, so it’s a short stretch. You need to be in position when you turn for home.”

Next to hit the track was Abarta (Into Mischief), who completed the exacta for his sire behind ‘Rising Star’ Mutasaabeq in the GII Bourbon S. at Keeneland Oct. 4. Prepping for the Juvenile Turf, the $200,000 Keeneland September graduate breezed a half-mile in :47.60 outside of SW & GSP Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in splits of :11.60, :23.80 and :35 before galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.40.

“Abarta had a really nice late kick in the Bourbon to run second,” Cox said. “He didn’t have the best of trips but really showed some adversity that afternoon. I think it’s good he has already run well over that course.”

Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) earned her ‘Rising Star‘ at first asking at Churchill Sept. 1 and validated that effort with another front-running success in the GII JP Morgan Chase Jessamine S. in Lexington Oct. 7. Purchased for 280,000gns out of last year’s Tattersalls October sale, the bay drilled a half in :48.60 (:24.40, :36.80), starting her work two lengths behind the unraced Palm Cottage (American Pharoah).

“Aunt Pearl acted like she could really run at the start,” Cox commented. “The good ones kind of do that–they’ll let you know there is a lot of talent there. Given the pedigree, we were optimistic she’d be able to carry her speed around two turns. We thought about taking her to Saratoga over the summer, but when Churchill’s condition book came out I thought it might be better to keep her at home. It’s turned out really well so far.”

Other Breeders’ Cup-bound workers at Churchill included:

Girl Daddy (Uncle Mo, Juvenile fillies), 4f in :48.20
Sittin On Go (Brody’s Cause, Juvenile), 4f in :47.40
Smiley Sobotka (Brody’s Cause, Juvenile), 4f in :47.60
Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}), Juvenile Fillies Turf, 4f in :48.60

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Del Mar Adjusts Some Starting Gate, Turf Rail Positions After Surveying Turf Course

With the objective of improving the accuracy of tracking and timing data, officials at Del Mar have re-surveyed the track’s turf course with a GPS system that will be in use beginning with the start of the Bing Crosby Meet Oct. 31. In August, the track acknowledged a rash of timing inconsistencies and reported that turf races would be hand timed over the last two weeks of the summer meeting.

In conjunction with Equibase and its timing partner Gmax, Del Mar has re-surveyed its seven-furlong turf oval for the different race distances run over it. The survey included both distances of the races and run-up distances from where the starting gate is positioned to the point where the timing mechanism is triggered.

Accordingly, track officials have modified several starting gate and turf rail positions. The results of the survey also helped Del Mar to correct some historic variations in how distances (measured from the finish line back) were calculated. As a result, adjustments have been made to the position of the poles on the turf course.

“The integrity of timing data is critical and we know we have to get this right,” said Del Mar’s President and Chief Operating Officer Josh Rubinstein. “We believe the adjustments made as a result of the survey, while relatively minor, combined with Gmax’s GPS technology, will provide for more accurate and consistent timing.”

Del Mar conducts grass racing at six different distances-five furlongs, one mile, 1 1/16 miles, 1 1/8 miles, 1 3/8 miles and 1 1/2 miles. The turf course has five rail adjustments for its races– zero, 12 feet, 18 feet, 24 feet and 30 feet. Approximately 40% of the track’s races are run on its turf course. Rail adjustments and run-ups are necessary for both safety and fairness, helping to preserve the consistency of the turf course. Track officials noted that in some cases, due to the gate positions, the run-up to where the timing begins may be slightly longer than it was in the past, which could result in slightly faster times.

The Bing Crosby Meet runs through Nov. 29.

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