Gulfstream Park Notebook

GULFSTREAM PARK NOTEBOOK

MARCH 25, 2005

by Dick Powell

A very quiet week in Hallandale, Florida. With some stables shipping north

and 63 races run in week 11, the races were very thin in terms of field size and

will stay that way until Florida Derby (G1) Day on April 2. To Magna's credit,

this is the time of the year that Hialeah would have been open with purses about

half the size of Gulfstream, so the south Florida horsemen owe a debt of

gratitude to Frank Stronach's decision a few years ago to maintain the same

purse size for the entire meet.

With the slot machine referendum easily passing in Broward County, Gulfstream

Park could be looking at a rosy future. New turf and main track racing surfaces

were installed this year, a spanking new grandstand and clubhouse is scheduled

to open in January of 2006, and a planned slot machine operation down the road

could make Gulfstream a dominant racing venue for years to come. Yes, there will

be political hurdles in the state capitol regarding slot machines, but

this year's under-new-construction meet should lead to bigger and better things

no matter what.

The star of last week's racing was the new turf course. Sounds kind of nutty

but without it the races might have been unwatchable and unbettable. On Monday,

four turf races were held, Thursday had three, Friday saw rain and none,

Saturday featured four, Sunday four and Monday three. Because the new turf

course is so wide, the track superintendent is able to move the portable rails

in and out to preserve lanes of the course for future racing. It has held up

well and enabled the racing office to provide full fields in many class

categories.

To show you how important the new turf course is to the racing product here,

consider this: Last week from five days of both turf and dirt races, 36 were run

on the main track with an average field size of 6.99. The 17 turf races had an

average field size of 10.12 - a difference of more than three starters per race,

or 45 percent!

Only two stakes were run here last week. Saturday saw the Herecomesthebride

S. (G3) at 1 1/8 miles on the turf for three-year-old fillies. The betting

favorite was CAPE HOPE (Cape Town) and she didn't disappoint. Cape Town is a

vastly underrated turf sire and his daughter won her first two turf starts at

the Fair Grounds earlier this year. In her previous start, trainer Dallas Stewart shipped

her here

and won the Gaily Gaily S. in a dominant performance despite a very

rough trip.

Her 3-2 odds look very generous in retrospect as Jose Santos stalked a very

slow pace while clear on the outside. He bided his time aboard Cape Hope before

making his move on the far turn to seize command into the stretch. Dynamite Lass

(Dynaformer) offered a furious late rally to come up less than a length short,

but it never looked like Cape Hope was in any serious trouble. The final time of

1:48.28 was a bit slow due to the pedestrian early pace - 25.07 and 49.98.

The American Oaks (G1) at Hollywood Park this summer is a long way off, but it

would be a logical long-term goal for her.

Sunday saw the Hurricane Bertie H. (G3) run on the main track at the

awful distance of 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares. The bettors had it as a

two-horse race between Bohemian Lady (Carson City), who was the 8-5 favorite off

a fast second going this distance in her last start, and Molto Vita (Carson

City), the second choice at 19-10, who won a Grade 3 stakes at Keeneland last

October.

At the start of the race, Forty Moves (Gold Fever) bore out and bumped Molto

Vita, who was then bumped into LILAH (Defrere). Once the chain reaction was over,

Rajiv Maragh rushed Lilah up to challenge for the lead and she pressed Molto

Vita to the top of the stretch. After a half in :44.79, Molto Vita began to

show signs of weakness off the long layoff and Llilah drew off to a handy

three-length score, running the 6 1/2-furlong distance in 1:15.45.

Lilah is an eight-year-old mare, who was making her fourth start of the meet,

and

has always run well here in the past. She now has won three straight and whether

it's this year's new main track or the previous main track, Lilah is truly a

horse for the course.

The most impressive maiden winner of the meet was AWESOME TWIST (Awesome

Again) who won Saturday's 5TH race going seven furlongs in 1:23.35. Out of the

multiple Grade 1-winning and stakes producer TWIST AFLEET (Afleet), Awesome Twist ran evenly in his career debut for

trainer John Kimmel in his previous outing. On Saturday, Lasix

was added for the first time and that, coupled with a race over the track, was too

much for this group of maidens as he won easily by seven lengths. He certainly has

the pedigree to stretch out in distance and might be a major player this summer with

more experience.

BIAS REPORT

Amazingly, only two two-turn main track races were run last week and both

were won from off the pace -- one from far back and another from up close in the

early going. In main track races going one turn, 27 of the 42 winners were

either first or second after a quarter of a mile. This was true in all one-turn

races right up to one mile. You don't have to be in front but it helps if you

are near the lead early.

On the turf, a variety of running styles were successful for the week. The

course was listed as firm for the five days of turf racing and the temporary

rail was placed at 48 feet. One thing to note is that outside posts had an

advantage on the turf going two turns despite the large field size. Horses that

get stuck on the inside are able to save ground but have no chance when they

encounter any traffic. Clear sailing, even from the far outside, is still

preferable.

HORSES TO WATCH

Wednesday (3/16)

1st -- ANOTHER SUNSET (Untuttable) looked like he would be a pace factor, but

was taken back early, wound up being steadied on the turn, and was beat by a

horse who went gate-to-wire.

3RD -- HONEST HASH (Wild Wonder) was clobbered in the stretch when making a

big move in his turf debut.

6TH -- STARLANA (Polish Numbers) came up empty in the stretch after looming

boldly in her first start in 250 days and should be much fitter next time out.

Thursday (3/17)

6TH -- GHAZELLE (Ghazi) shipped down from Tampa Bay Downs in good form but

ran into traffic problems after a poor break and had to use too much energy to

gain early position.

8TH -- PRETTY POSSIBLE (Langfuhr) had traffic problems in the early going and

wound up racing wide but still finished full of energy in her second turf start.

Friday (3/18)

2ND -- SOUTHPHILLY BARRY (Roar) pressed the pace while down on the inside and

brushed with a rival in the stretch before weakening.

Saturday (3/19)

1ST -- JUDITH'S TRIFLE (General Royal) looked like he would be the lone speed

but was bumped at the start and wound up setting a contested pace on a tiring

track that got faster as the day went on.

5TH -- LINEOFBULL (Holy Bull) showed good speed and held on for second behind

an impressive winner when making his career debut for Carl Nafzger.

8TH -- PLACIDO (Stormy Atlantic) is a confirmed speedball that showed a new

dimension when he rallied for third after being left at the gate in a turf

sprint.

10TH -- DYNAMITE LASS (Dynaformer) wound up between horses and then wide

behind a very slow pace but still rallied for second in a game performance.

Sunday (3/20)

4TH -- CAPTAIN CHAOS (Lure) held on gamely when setting a pressured pace from

the inside and would be better off stalking the pace next time out.

9TH -- INDIA SUN (A.P. Indy) looked to have the most speed in a turf sprint,

but was bumped and steadied at the start, and the other speed in the race opened

up an insurmountable lead.

11TH -- KRISTALI (Kris S.) rallied for third despite a rough start and

traffic problems in his career debut for Pletcher/Bailey.

Monday (3/21)

6TH -- MARY'S CHARM (Silver Charm) held well for third in her career debut

going short and should improve with a race under her belt and more distance.

8TH -- MUMBLE JUMBLE (Announce) was shuffled far back after a rough trip and

was forced to rally extremely wide.