Gulfstream Park

Zulu Alpha Goes For Title Defense in Mac Diarmida

Already a smashing success story as a former claim turned multiple graded stakes winner, Michael Hui's Zulu Alpha (Street Cry {Ire}) enjoyed a dream run along the rail to earn his first top-level score in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. last out, and the hard-knocking gelding is right back in the entry box as he attempts to defend his title in the 1 3/8-mile GII Mac Diarmida S. Saturday at Gulfstream. Haltered for $80,000 out of a dominant optional-claiming victory in the summer of 2018 at Churchill,...

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All Eyes On Dennis' Moment in Fountain of Youth

For only having raced four times thus far, Albaugh Family Stables' Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) has already had a roller coaster's worth of twists and turns in his career. Two brilliant victories paired with two disastrous starts in his 2-year-old season have established dichotomous perceptions of the imposing bay colt. Saturday at Gulfstream Park, he will get a chance to solidify himself as a top contender for the GI Kentucky Derby when making his highly-anticipated 3-year-old debut as a likely heavy favorite in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. Unveiled...

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Well-Matched Dozen Face Off in Palm Beach

With no standouts to be found, but plenty of lightly raced horses with potential, Saturday's GIII Palm Beach S. at Gulfstream drew a dozen sophomore turfers all looking for their first black-type success on the lawn. The lone stakes winner in the field is narrow 4-1 morning-line favorite South Bend (Algorithms). Starting his career three for three, including a score in the Street Sense S. on the Churchill main track Oct. 27, the Sagamore Farm colorbearer was sixth in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. and fourth in the local...

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Pegasus Runner-Up Mr Freeze Heads Competitive Gulfstream Mile

Fresh off a pair of Grade I placings, Jim Bakke and Gerry Isbister's Mr Freeze (To Honor and Serve) will look for his third graded stakes score in an evenly matched 11-horse renewal of the GII Gulfstream Park Mile S. Saturday at the Hallandale Beach oval. Capturing his first two starts at 9-1 two springs ago in Kentucky, the chestnut was a narrow second in the Iowa Derby before cruising by eight lengths in the GIII West Virginia Derby. Failing to find the mark in his next three outings, he...

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Brisnet.com Triple Crown Throwdown: Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth

Ed DeRosa of Brisnet.com takes on TDN's Steve Sherack and Brian DiDonato as they handicap Triple Crown prep races plus the big three races themselves. The three will make $100 Win/Place bets in the preps and $200 Win/Place bets in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Highest bankroll at the end wins. DeRosa - GIII Southwest S. Results - Answer In was a well-beaten third. Bankroll: $1195. GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. - Looking to start a hot streak here with Country Grammer, who returns for trainer Chad Brown...

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Feb. 28 Insights: Pricey Pharoah Debuts Against FL Breds

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 5th-GP, $44K, Msw, (S), 3yo, 1m, 3:03p.m. WinStar Farm and China Horse Club's $600,000 KEESEP purchase FREEDOM FORCE (American Pharoah) makes his career bow against fellow Florida-breds in this spot. The chestnut is a half-brother to MGISW millionaire Iotapa (Afleet Alex) and SW & GSP Saintly Joan (Northern Afleet). The Rodolphe Brisset trainee enters off a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 flat (1/8) at Palm Meadows Feb. 19. Todd Pletcher saddles another intriguing runner in this test in Mathis homebred Roman Empire (Empire Maker). Off...

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Second Chances: Union Maiden
Second Chances: Union Maiden

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. In this edition, Union Maiden (Union Rags) is highlighted following a better-than-it-looked fifth-place finish after missing the break on debut at Gulfstream Park earlier this month. Previous runners featured in this column include: MGISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Paradise Woods (Union Rags), GSW Backyard Heaven (Tizway), MSW and 'TDN Rising Star' Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); and the highly regarded runaway Santa Anita maiden winner Honor A. P. (Honor...

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Feb. 27 Insights: Pricey Curlin Half to Hawkbill Debuts at Gulfstream

4th-GP, $50K, Msw, 4yo/up, 6 1/2f, 2:31 p.m. ET Albaugh Family Stables, which will start likely GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. favorite Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) this Saturday at Gulfstream, also has action Thursday in Hallandale Beach, as they debut the expensive and well-related COASTAL DEFENSE (Curlin) in the day's fourth event. Owned in partnership with Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, the chestnut hammered for $800,000 at Keeneland September in 2017 and is a half-brother to MG1SW Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy), as well as the Albaughs' GISW Free Drop Billy (Union...

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How 'Dennis' Jump Started Ballysax

Call it seizing the moment. Carl McEntee's very first Saratoga consignment, just a couple of weeks after hanging out a shiny new Ballysax board at the July Sale in Lexington. A consignment, admittedly, comprising of a single Tiznow colt. "Obviously everyone wants to take a yearling to Saratoga," McEntee says. "And it's very simple to say, 'Let's take this Tapit up there, or this War Front, this Pharoah.' Great, if you have those horses. At that stage, in a fledgling company that'd been going six months, I didn't have clientele...

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With Chance It, Joseph Close to Fulfilling Derby Dream

When Saffie Joseph, Jr. arrived in the U.S. from Barbados in 2011, the then 24-year-old didn't come here to be just another trainer. He wanted what racing in Barbados could never offer him, a chance to prosper on a big stage and to become one of the top trainers in the sport. Some nine years later, he's on his way, capturing training titles at Gulfstream and Gulfstream Park West and winning graded stakes with horses like GI Pennsylvania Derby winner Math Wizard (Algorithms). This year alone, he's won six stakes,...

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Romans as Confident as Ever in Dennis' Moment

It's been nearly four months since Dennis' Moment (Tiznow) was last seen finishing last in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the result of a bad stumble at the start. That's not the way anyone wants to go into their 3-year-old season, but nothing that he has seen from Dennis' Moment has lessened the enthusiasm trainer Dale Romans has for his horse. "At this stage going into the Derby, I think he's probably the best prospect I've ever had," Romans said. "I've had a lot of good ones and I've had...

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The Week in Review: Maximum Security Will Make his Case for Superstardom

When Maximum Security (New Year's Day) touched down in Saudi Arabia last week, a new chapter began for the horse that had a star-crossed 2019. On Saturday, he will face the stiffest challenge of his career in the inaugural running of the $20-million Saudi Cup. It's a race that will answer a lot of questions, but don't be surprised if the end result is an emphatic win from last year's 3-year-old male champion. While Maximum Security had a strong 3-year-old campaign, his year was remembered more for what didn't happen...

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