First Premio Favored in Gulfstream Turf Allowance

Team Valor International's First Premio will make his season debut April 4 in the featured 10th race at Gulfstream Park after finishing a 2019 campaign with a near miss against grade 1 company. The 6-year-old son of Pure Prize who failed to draw in from the also-eligible list for the March 28 Appleton Stakes (G3) is the 7-2 morning-line favorite for the $48,000 allowance optional claimer, a mile turf race for older horses.

Trained by Mark Casse, First Premio made an eight-wide sweep to close from 12th at the top of the stretch to finish fourth in the Oct. 5 Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (G1T) at Keeneland, beaten three-quarters of a length by victorious Bowies Hero.

"He's a horse that we got from Europe as a young horse and he's gotten better and better," Casse said. "With a better trip, he may have won his last start."

First Premio was sent to Casse's Ocala, Fla., farm following the Shadwell Turf Mile.

"There wasn't a whole lot left for him the rest of the year. We even thought maybe he deserved a shot at the Breeders' Cup, but (Team Valor CEO) Barry Irwin and I talked about it and decided we'd be better giving him a break," Casse said.

First Premio won his first start off a seven-month layoff in his 2019 debut, scoring a 3 1/4-length victory in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots after stalking the early pace.

"I think he runs his best race when he's halfway close. You cover him up and he comes with a rush," Casse said.

Tyler Gaffalione has the mount aboard First Premio.

Madaket Stables and Michael Kisber's Colonist will race for trainer Todd Pletcher for the first time. He was sidelined for 17 months after being trained by Jerry Hollendorfer. The 6-year-old gelded son of Pioneerof the Nile was graded stakes-placed as a 4-year-old.

The Pletcher-trained Halladay is also entered. The 4-year-old son of War Front  captured the Dec. 28 Tropical Park Derby in his only start on the Gulfstream turf.

Luca Panici is slated to ride Colonist for the first time, and Luis Saez has the call on Halladay.

Midwest Thoroughbreds' Kroy, a grade 2-placed 6-year-old gelding, is scheduled to make his first start in ninth months. The son of The Factor  will make his first start for trainer Danny Gargan, who also entered Daniel Feiss' Dr. Shane, an allowance optional claiming winner at Gulfstream two starts back.

Emisael Jaramillo has the call on Kroy, and Joe Bravo has the mount on Dr. Shane.

Trainer Jane Cibelli is also represented by a pair of entrants, Edward Short's Class and Cash, a multiple stakes winner who has finished first or second in 23 of 35 starts, and George Vires' Mai Ty One On, who was beaten by track-record holder Pay Any Price in his 2020 debut by a neck in a turf sprint before finishing third in the Tampa Turf Dash.

Joel Rosario has the call on Class and Cash, and Dylan Davis has been named on Mai Ty One On.

Thunder Ride, Ice Tea, Penalty, and Regally Irish round out the field for turf. Majestic Dunhill is a main-track-only entrant.

Brown-trained Candy Machine Graduates From Maiden Ranks

Candy Machine withstood race-long pressure and a stewards' review to graduate from the sixth race at Gulfstream on April 3, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-olds. The Chad Brown-trained 4-5 favorite prevailed over Or'effice by three-quarters of a length under Gaffalione, who won four races Friday.

Candy Machine, who debuted with a second-place finish at six furlongs Feb. 29, pressed the pace inside of Mukulwitz around the first turn and into the backstretch before taking the lead heading toward the far turn, pressed on the outside by Ellis Island and tracked by a full-of-run Or'effice. Joe Bravo elected to send Or'effice inside Candy Machine on the turn into the homestretch but quickly steadied his mount. Candy Machine took a clear lead into the stretch and continued on to hold off a resurgent Or'effice in deep stretch.

The stewards posted the inquiry sign and Bravo lodged an objection, but the result stood after a lengthy review.

Peter Brant and Three Chimneys Farm's Candy Machine ($3.60), who finished in 1:43.31, was a $475,000 purchase by Brant's White Birch Farm at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the Gainesway consignment. He is a son of Candy Ride  out of the Giant's Causeway mare Viva Carina, making Candy Machine a half brother to stakes-winning Sultry (by Malibu Moon ).