Red Crescent Win Millions Classic Preview

Equine Authority's Red Crescent peaked at the perfect time for trainer John Vinson Nov. 9 to capture the $75,000 Millions Classic Preview Stakes at Gulfstream Park West.

The 1 1/16-mile race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up, an early prep for the $200,000 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park Jan. 18, was one of nine stakes worth $675,000 in purses on the Sunshine Millions Preview program.

Red Crescent, a 6 1/2-length winner of an Oct. 3 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park West last out, claimed his first stakes victory with a 1 1/4-length score under Samy Camacho.

"It wasn't until his last win (that the Classic Preview was targeted)," Vinson said. "We were debating about sending him home for the winter and giving him some time off."

Sent to post as the even-money favorite, Red Crescent broke a bit slowly and rated while saving ground behind the pace set by Hy Riverside, who set comfortable fractions of :24.70 and :49.41 while pressed by Richard the Great. Camacho found room to the outside in the far turn and the 5-year-old gelded son of Overdriven responded when asked to enter contention off the turn.

"He was the first horse in the gate, but when the last horse went in the gate, my horse moved a lot and he broke very bad. After that I had to rush him to try and save my position. I put him in behind horses on the backside close to the lead and I just waited to go through," Camacho said. "At the three-eighths pole I put him on the outside and I said, 'Ok, I gotta go,' and he won the race so good. And he kept strong after the wire, I had to call the pony to help me. This horse is doing really well."

Red Crescent ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.61. Art G Is Back finished second, 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Hy Riverside. Mr. Jordan, seeking his fourth straight Classic Preview win, finished fourth after encountering trouble on the first turn.

Wildwood's Beauty Takes Distaff Preview

Nearly a year to the day since her debut victory over the same surface, William Stiritz's Wildwood's Beauty kept her perfect record intact at both the track and distance with a 1 3/4-length triumph in Saturday's $75,000 Millions Distaff Preview Stakes.

Sent off as the even-money favorite in a field of six in the seven-furlong Distaff, Wildwood's Beauty completed the distance in 1:22.33 over a fast main track for her fourth stakes victory.

It was also the second straight win over Stormy Embrace for 3-year-old Wildwood's Beauty, who posted a 20-1 upset of the Sept. 7 Sheer Drama Stakes at Gulfstream, also over her elders. Camacho was aboard for both wins.

"The race pretty much played out the way we thought it would," winning trainer Scott Becker said. "Samy was just trying to save ground and wait for the right spot to make his move, and I think he did a fabulous job."

Liza Star, a winner of five straight races by 21 1/2 combined lengths, dueled with Sheer Drama runner-up Heiressall, third in last year's Distaff, through fractions of :22.91 and :45.93, as Wildwood's Beauty settled in third on the inside from her rail post and Stormy Embrace to her outside.

"I've known this filly for a long time, since she was baby. The last two times she ran against fillies she won," Camacho said. "Last time she finished second against boys. This race I just wanted to break good and relax her. When I saw the two horses break faster than her, I wanted to take her back and save ground until it was time to go. At the three-eighths pole I put her in the clear and the race was over. "

Heiressall snatched the lead from Liza Star once straightened for home chased by Wildwood's Beauty, who Camacho angled from the inside to the center of the track for a drive to the wire. Heiressall held second, followed by Liza Star.

"The outside horse floated out some, so he went in for a minute and then got back out, but it all worked out," Becker said. "She's a very nice, quality filly. Seven furlongs, a mile, a mile and 70 (yards), she's done everything. Now we'll go on to the next spot."

Becker said a graded stakes race could be next for the daughter of Kantharos .

Galleon Mast Defends Turf Preview Title

Anne D. Scott's Galleon Mast successfully defended his title in the $75,000 Millions Turf Preview. The 6-year-old gray gelding, who won the 2018 edition of the 1 1/16-mile turf race for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up by a nose, once again had a fight on his hands Saturday, prevailing by just a head after a ground-saving trip under Paco Lopez.

"Naturally, he keeps you worried all the time," trainer David Fawkes said. "He doesn't love the inside and he was inside the whole way, but Paco fits this horse so good. He knows the horse. He knows you have to wait, wait, wait on him."

Lopez, aboard the son of Mizzen Mast  for the first time since riding him to victory in last year's Turf Preview, saved ground as Freedom Matters set comfortable fractions of :24.74 and :50.93 for the first half mile. Lopez remained patient aboard the 9-5 favorite while lacking room near the back of the seven-horse field on the far turn. When a seam developed between horses nearing mid-stretch, Galleon Mast produced a strong late kick to overhaul Freedom Matters just yards from the finish line.

Galleon Mast ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.31. Freedom Matters finished second, a neck in front of late-charging Second Mate.

Galleon Mast is a multiple-stakes winner who has finished in the money in 27 of 33 starts and has earned more than $600,000.

"It's going to take me another 20 years to get one like him again," owner Hans Scott said. "We're awful proud of him. We gave him a big break and he's come back so good. He's just one of those horses that needs time and patience. What a nice mind he has on him. He's such a cool horse."

Picara Repeats in Filly & Mare Turf Preview

P & G Stables' Picara saved ground in the early going, found room along the hedge once straightened for home, and out-finished nine rivals to the wire for a second straight victory in the $75,000 Filly & Mare Turf Preview Stakes.

Sent off at odds of 25-1 for trainer Jorge Delgado and jockey Rajiv Maragh, the 4-year-old daughter of Turbo Compressor  completed 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:29.66 and improved her record over Gulfstream West's turf course to four wins from five starts.

Unlike last year, when she led most of the way in a 1 3/4-length triumph for previous trainer Todd Pletcher, PIcara settled in mid-pack under Maragh as 6-5 favorite Daddy's Boo took the field through a quarter in :23.37 and a half in :46.55.

Maragh bided his time and sent Picara through an opening at the top of the stretch, holding off a late rallies from runner-up Una Luna and Souper Escape, who finished third.

Travy Boy Springs Sprint Preview Upset

Manuel Real's Travy Boy, making his 22nd start and first in a stakes, led from start to finish under Lopez to spring a 21-1 upset of the $75,000 Millions Sprint Preview Stakes.

Trained by Michel Arrieta and coming off an optional claiming win going six furlongs Oct. 25 in his Gulfstream Park West debut, the son of Gemologist  broke sharply from post 5 and established command after a quarter-mile in :22.08 pressed by Shoshone Brave, and went a half in :44.89 as Soldollie took up the stalking spot.

Travy Boy hit the top of the stretch and drifted out to the center of the track while Front Loaded put in a run between horses to get up late for second. Stakes winner He Hate Me, the 3-5 favorite, came under a sustained drive from the turn and got up to be third. 

Captain D Takes Charge in Juvenile Turf

Although bettors expected Captain D to dominate his competition in the $75,000 Juvenile Turf Stakes, the 1-2 favorite continues to be a pleasant surprise for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

"If you told me before this horse ran that he would be doing this, I wouldn't have believed it," Joseph said.

Don and Rebecca Ming's Captain D is the first black-type winner for Gary D, a son of Successful Appeal who won three of 21 career starts, including a victory in the 2010 OBS Sprint.

"Gary D is a horse the Mings raced. They just kept him and put him on a couple mares," said Joseph, who also trains a stakes-winning 3-year-old daughter of Gary D, Midtown Rose. "For me, I like Gary D."

Captain D broke alertly to gain good stalking position behind pacesetter Plato, who set fractions of :24.50 and :49.72 for the first half-mile while pressed by Genghis. Ridden by Edgard Zayas, Captain D made a strong move around the far turn to take the lead turning for home and continued on to win by 5 1/4 lengths. Rebelde finished second under Jose Batista, two lengths ahead of Genghis.

Captain D ran a mile over a firm turf course in 1:37.96.

"From Day 1 he has had a lot of try," Joseph said.

American Giant, Ceci Valentina, As Seen On Tv Shine

Live Oak Plantation's homebred American Giant powered down the center of the stretch and held off a late bid from Mike Trombetta-trained stablemate Our Little Jewel along the hedge to capture the $75,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes by two lengths.

American Giant improved to 3-for-3 on the grass, landing her first stakes victory. The winning time was 1:37.03 over a firm course. Narrow 2-1 favorite Our Little Jewel was second, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Song River.

In the $75,000 Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes, Amalio Ruiz-Lozano's homebred Ceci Valentina came with a steady run through the lane to reel in Mandamus and edge clear for a 2 1/4-length victory.

With Marcos Meneses aboard for trainer Angel Rodriguez, Ceci Valentina ran 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:18.02 for her third win in four starts and second in a stakes, following the seven-furlong FSS Susan's Girl Aug. 31 at Gulfstream.

Mandamus was a clear second, with Go Gator Girl Go third.

Screen Door Stables' As Seen On Tv wrapped up Saturday's stakes action with a popular victory in the $75,000 Juvenile Sprint Stakes, stalking pacesetter Smash Factor from the gate to the top of the stretch before pulling away late.

As Seen On Tv, favored at 6-5, gave Lopez his fourth win on the card and third in a stakes.

Second in the Sept. 21 Smoke Glacken Stakes at Monmouth Park last time out, As Seen On Tv pressed Smash Factor through splits of :22.46 and :45.35, took over the top spot after six furlongs in 1:09.71, and edged clear to win in 1:16.36 for 6 1/2 furlongs. Smash Factor held second, with Poe third.