Zulu Alpha Seeks Repeat in Gulfstream's Mac Diarmida

A race after his upset victory in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes Presented by Runhappy (G1T), Zulu Alpha swims in an easier stakes pool Feb. 29 in the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream Park.

The Mac Diarmida was chosen for his next race to leave him plenty of recovery time for the $1 million Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

Even if his connections are pointing him toward richer prizes, Zulu Alpha should be a dominant force. He is 3-for-4 on the Gulfstream grass and has run many of his best races in turf marathons, including this race last year.

The Mac Diarmida is a three-turn, 1 3/8-mile contest that goes immediately before the showcase race, the $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2).

A 7-year-old gelded son of Street Cry, Zulu Alpha was claimed by owner Michael Hui in September 2018 for $80,000. Besides the Mac Diarmida, last year he won the W. L. McKnight Stakes (G3T) and Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) and was second in the United Nations Stakes (G1T) and fourth in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1T) for trainer Mike Maker.

"He came out super," his trainer said of the Pegasus World Cup Turf. "He's a very big horse; he carries a lot of flesh. He continues to do well."

Tyler Gaffalione, who gave Zulu Alpha an inside-rallying trip in the Pegasus World Cup Turf, returns in the irons.

Video: Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. presented by Runhappy (G1T)

While Zula Alpha will be trying to win from off the pace, Leonard Green's A Thread of Blue is a speed threat. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained colt was a gate-to-wire winner of the 1 1/8-mile Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes last year and has made more than $1 million. He makes his second start following a layoff after a fourth in the Jan. 11 Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T).

"We ran him a mile first time back this year, and it was just a little too short and hustling all the way," McLaughlin said. "Hopefully, he loves this track, and hopefully he gets to an uncontested lead or close and gets comfortable. He's better doing that."

Joe Bravo will ride.

Also likely to be close early is Channel Maker, who captured the Man o' War Stakes (G1T) in May at Belmont Park. The 6-year-old was second in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) in October and finished 12th in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Turf at Santa Anita Park in his most recent start. He has gone unplaced in four starts on the Gulfstream grass, however.

With a far better 2-for-5 local grass mark is Woodslane Farm's Sadler's Joy, a winner of more than $2.4 million who finished sixth in the Pegasus World Cup Turf.

Earlier Saturday at Gulfstream, older grass horses will be showcased in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G2T) at a mile. Seeking to rebound there is Glen Hill Farm's multiple graded-stakes winning homebred Caribou Club, who was seventh in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3T) at Tampa Bay Downs in his Feb. 8 season debut.

"We hadn't thought of this race at Gulfstream until that last race. Maybe he wasn't quite ready, who knows. He seems like he's doing well, but we thought he was doing well last time," Glen Hill Farm president Craig Bernick said. "Over his career, he's put a couple of bad races in there that we really didn't understand, but he's always bounced back."

A 6-year-old gelded son of City Zip trained by Tom Proctor, Caribou Club is 9-3-4 from 23 starts with earnings of $703,427. A stakes winner at ages 2, 4, and 5, he will be ridden by Feargal Lynch.

He faces an overflow cast in a closely matched race, reflected by the morning-line odds. Hay Dakota is the tepid favorite at 4-1, just ahead of Sombeyay at 9-2 and Hembree at 5-1. Caribou Club is 6-1, and defending winner Krampus is 12-1.