Jesus' Team Headlines Claiming Crown at Gulfstream
Image:
Description:
Photo: Rick Samuels
Jesus' Team trains at Keeneland prior to his runner-up finish in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
Grade 1-placed in his past two starts, Jesus' Team will return to his roots with a start in the $150,000 Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes Dec. 5 at Gulfstream Park.
This marks the ninth straight year in South Florida and 22nd overall for the Claiming Crown, created in 1999 to honor the blue-collar horses with claiming roots who are the foundation of the racing industry nationwide. Total handle for the Claiming Crown has surpassed $10 million each of the past five years, topped by a record $13.8 million in 2019.
Grupo 7C Racing Stable's Jesus' Team, who became eligible for the Jewel while winning a maiden claiming event at Gulfstream on March 18, is scheduled to use the Claiming Crown headliner as a prep for a planned start in the Jan. 23 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1).
The Jewel, a 1 1/8-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up who started for a claiming price of $35,000 or lower, will be featured among nine stakes restricted to horses who have started for a claiming price at least once.
The 3-year-old colt enters off a third-place finish in the Oct. 3 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course and a second-place finish Nov. 7 in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland—remarkable results from a horse who broke his maiden for a $32,000 claiming tag.
"He went to Ocala for 10 days after the Breeders' Cup. He is training very good for the Claiming Crown," said trainer Jose D'Angelo, whose stable is based at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County. "I think this is a good race for him before the Pegasus. He needs a race before the Pegasus."
Calumet Farm's Dack Janiel's is another Jewel entry who performed extremely well on Breeders' Cup weekend, running third in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes (G2).
"(Jack Daniel's) seems to thrive on his training and running, so we ran him (at Keeneland) and he ran a competitive race against some tough horses," said his trainer, Jack Sisterson.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 05, 2020, Race 6Entries: Claiming Crown Jewel S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Storm Runner (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
120
Dale L. Romans
4/1
2
2Jesus' Team (KY)
Luis Saez
118
Jose Francisco D'Angelo
6/5
3
3Treasure Trove (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
124
Michael J. Maker
7/2
4
4Prince of Arabia (KY)
Robby Albarado
120
Patrick L. Biancone
15/1
5
5Leitone (CHI)
Hector Isaac Berrios
122
Victor Carrasco, Jr.
20/1
6
6Rebelde (FL)
Miguel Angel Vasquez
120
Teresa M. Pompay
20/1
7
7Dack Janiel's (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Jack Sisterson
6/1
8
8Toughest 'Ombre (MD)
Paco Lopez
120
Mary E. Eppler
12/1
Grade 3 Winner Tusk, Defending Champ Muggsamatic Top $95,000 Emerald
Jordan Wycoff's Tusk, unraced since becoming a graded stakes winner 11 months ago, and defending winner Muggsamatic, wheeling back just two weeks off his previous start, top an overflow field of 12 for the $95,000 Claiming Crown Emerald Stakes.
Tusk wins the Tropical Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park
The Emerald for 3-year-olds and up and $95,000 Tiara for fillies and mares 3 and older, both at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for horses who have started for a claiming price of $25,000 or less the past two years, are among four grass stakes that help comprise the Claiming Crown.
Tusk, a gelded 7-year-old son of perennial leading sire Tapit , finished third under jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. in the 2019 Emerald, beaten two lengths by Muggsamatic in his first start off a $32,000 claim by trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
Joseph brought Tusk back in the one-mile Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T) Jan. 11, and he responded to the step up in class with a two-length victory. He was on the also-eligible list for the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) two weeks later but was sidelined with a hind leg injury suffered in training.
"He had surgery, and he seems to have come back well," Joseph said. "Obviously he's coming off a layoff, but his last race was his best race, and that was a grade 3 that he won quite well. Coming off a layoff, so you always wonder if you have them fit enough, but since we got him, he's been in like 2 1/2 months, three months, he's had a strong series of works. I feel like we're going in there with a chance."
Muggsamatic races for Mike Maker, who took over his training this year.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 05, 2020, Race 7Entries: Claiming Crown Emerald S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Rijeka (IRE)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
20/1
2
2Artie's Rumor (IA)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
122
Michael J. Maker
5/1
3
3King of Spades (KY)
Joe Bravo
120
Kelly J. Breen
20/1
4
4Temple (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Michael J. Maker
4/1
5
5Apreciado (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
120
Michael J. Maker
8/1
6
6Tusk (KY)
Emisael Jaramillo
126
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
9/2
7
7Hieroglyphics (KY)
Luis Saez
124
Michael J. Maker
7/2
8
8Speed Franco (KY)
Robby Albarado
120
Joseph C. Catanese, III
30/1
9
9Muggsamatic (FL)
Miguel Angel Vasquez
122
Michael J. Maker
6/1
10
10High Noon Rider (KY)
Edgard J. Zayas
120
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
12/1
11
11Over the Channel (FL)
Paco Lopez
124
David Fawkes
15/1
12
12Zippy (LA)
Luca Panici
124
Guadalupe Preciado
30/1
13
13Morning Stride (KY)
Hector Isaac Berrios
124
Monica McGoey
20/1
14
14Sniper Kitten (KY)
Miguel Angel Vasquez
122
Michael J. Maker
12/1
15
15Joyful Heart (KY)
Cristian A. Torres
120
Kendall Condie
30/1
Queens Embrace Debuts for New Connections in $95,000 Tiara
Spedale Family Racing and Flying P Stable's grade 2-placed Queens Embrace, racing first off the claim for trainer Danny Gargan, has an opportunity to reward her new connections right off the bat in the $95,000 Claiming Crown Tiara Stakes.
Queens Embrace will be making her 12th start and first since being haltered for $80,000 out of a fifth-place finish in a 1 1/16-mile allowance optional claimer Sept. 24 at Belmont Park.
"I think if she improves, she'll be really tough to beat," Gargan said. "There's two or three other fillies in there that are similar-type horses. She's young. I like to claim young horses and she's 3, turning 4, but if we can get her to run a little bit better numbers, then I think she'll be super live."
Queens Embrace has five wins and was third in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) over the summer.
Mad Dog Racing Stable, Isla Stables, and Big Frank Stable's Sugar Fix has run three times since being claimed by Joseph for $40,000 July 30, with one win Sept. 16 at Kentucky Downs.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 05, 2020, Race 9Entries: Claiming Crown Tiara S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Bienville Street (FL)
Cristian A. Torres
120
Cam M. Gambolati
6/1
2
2Afficionado (FR)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Patrick L. Biancone
15/1
3
3Isadorable Aida (KY)
Joe Bravo
120
Armando De la cerda
15/1
4
4Yes Factor (FL)
Leonel Reyes
122
Teresa M. Pompay
5/1
5
5Queens Embrace (KY)
Luis Saez
120
Danny Gargan
5/2
6
6Maries Melody (KY)
Marcos Meneses
120
Ramon Minguet
30/1
7
7Jabuticaba (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
122
Jena M. Antonucci
5/1
8
8Rosa Star (KY)
Luca Panici
120
Javier Negrete
30/1
9
9Jost Sayin (FL)
Edgar S. Prado
122
Carlos A. David
20/1
10
10Irony of Reality (MD)
Victor Lebron
122
Ron G. Potts
8/1
11
11Sugar Fix (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
122
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
2/1
Stakes Winner Fiya Looks to Make it Five Straight in $90,000 Canterbury
Robert Masiello's speedy turf sprinter Fiya, who became a stakes winner last time out, looks to extend his win streak to five when he makes his South Florida debut in the $90,000 Claiming Crown Canterbury Stakes.
Fiya wins the Maryland Million Turf Sprint Handicap at Laurel Park
Maryland-bred Fiya will spend the winter with trainer Tom Albertrani's string at Palm Meadows. His two most recent wins came after being purchased at auction for $400,000 in July.
Fiya was a frontrunning 3 1/4-length winner against open company Sept. 20 at Belmont Park, then returned to Laurel Park, where he made his first four starts, to capture the 5 1/2-furlong Maryland Million Turf Sprint Handicap.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 05, 2020, Race 10Entries: Claiming Crown Canterbury S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Fiya (MD)
Luis Saez
122
Thomas Albertrani
8/5
2
2Legendary Prince (KY)
Rajiv Maragh
120
Ricko Maragh
20/1
3
3Lusitano (KY)
Emisael Jaramillo
122
Rohan Crichton
12/1
4
4Harry's Ontheloose (FL)
Leonel Reyes
122
Herman Wilensky
20/1
5
5Tiger Blood (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Michael J. Maker
6/1
6
6Fully Loaded (FL)
Edgard J. Zayas
124
Amador Merei Sanchez
12/1
7
7Citrus Burst (KY)
Robby Albarado
118
Jeff Engler
20/1
8
8Belgrano (KY)
Paco Lopez
124
Frank Russo
8/1
9
9Unmoored (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
124
Michael J. Maker
3/1
10
10Memorable (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
118
Cheryl Winebaugh
30/1
11
11Munn Passage (KY)
Corey J. Lanerie
120
Michael B. Campbell
20/1
12
12Like What I See (NJ)
Joe Bravo
124
Kelly J. Breen
20/1
13
13Fair Catch (KY)
Emisael Jaramillo
118
Bruno Tessore
15/1
14
14Kobe Fifty Two (KY)
Victor Lebron
120
Andy P. Williams
20/1
Thinkin Cowtown Returns for Title Defense in $90,000 Distaff Dash
A rallying half-length winner as the favorite last year, Averill Racing, Matties Racing Stable, and ATM Racing's 7-year-old mare Thinkin Cowtown returns to attempt a repeat in the $90,000 Claiming Crown Distaff Dash.
Thinkin Cowtown has raced just three times since her score over Unaquoi last December, and just once in the past nine months. Trained by Georgina Baxter, she pressed the pace into the stretch but wound up third in a five-furlong allowance optional claimer Sept. 6 at Gulfstream.
Three Diamonds Farm's Jakarta won an off-the-turf edition of the one-mile Powder Break Stakes May 16 at Gulfstream. After finishing off the board in a pair of graded stakes, including one on the dirt, the Bustin Stones mare ran second in the Caress Stakes, won a 6 1/2-furlong starter at Kentucky Downs, and was third, a length behind the winner, in the Buffalo Trace Franklin County Stakes (G3T) Oct. 9 at Keeneland.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 05, 2020, Race 5Entries: Claiming Crown Distaff Dash S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Unaquoi (WV)
Edgard J. Zayas
122
Ollie L. Figgins, III
15/1
2
2Midtown Rose (FL)
Miguel Angel Vasquez
122
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
20/1
3
3Sweet Yare N Dira (FL)
Paco Lopez
124
Steven Chircop
9/2
4
4The Great Kath (FL)
Victor Lebron
122
Steven Dye
20/1
5
5Katieleigh (KY)
Luca Panici
124
Katherine Ritvo
12/1
6
6My Sarasota Star (FL)
Edgar S. Prado
122
Ricko Maragh
15/1
7
7Dahlonega (FL)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
120
Carlos A. David
6/1
8
8Cat's Astray (FL)
Emisael Jaramillo
124
Juan D. Arias
12/1
9
9Thinkin Cowtown (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
120
Georgina Baxter
8/1
10
10Jakarta (PA)
Luis Saez
122
Michael J. Maker
8/5
11
11Precocious Peach (FL)
Hector Isaac Berrios
120
Sarah Nagle
12/1
12
12Sweetsweetsweet (FL)
Julien R. Leparoux
120
Patrick L. Biancone
30/1
13
13Kiffle (KY)
Cristian A. Torres
120
Robert B. Hess, Jr.
7/5