Yes I Am Free, Miss Auramet Capture Gulfstream Stakes

Owners John and Paula Szalay were nearly overcome by emotion when Yes I Am Free  pulled off an 8-1 upset in the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T) Feb. 12, making it well worth the trip from their Peninsula, Ohio, sweet corn farm.

"I never in my life could dream that I would be here like this, never," said John Szalay in the winner's circle following the couple's first graded stakes success. "Years ago, my dad and I used to race horses at Thistledown—$1,500-$2,000 claimers. Paula and I said, 'We've got to get a good horse,' and we've got one."

Yes I Am Free ($18) also delivered a first graded stakes success to trainer Laura Cazares, who conditions five horses for the sweet corn farmers' Golden Kernel Racing Stable at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

"We got some names of trainers and we went to interview. Laura was the first one we went to. I walked in and looked at all of her horses, and I said to my wife, 'Paula, we don't need to go any further. She takes wonderful care of these horses,'" John Szalay said. "We said, 'Laura, claim us a horse,' and she got Yes I Am Free."

Claimed for $62,500 out of a victory in a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf at Gulfstream April 15, Yes I Am Free has since been competing against the top turf sprinters on the grounds, finishing third in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint and winning an overnight handicap in six starts for his new connections.

Saturday, the 6-year-old gelding broke alertly to race second behind pacesetting Warrior's Pride , who set fractions of :21.35 and :43.98 for a half-mile. The son of Uncaptured  took over at the top of the stretch and drew clear to win by 3 1/4 lengths under Emisael Jaramillo, completing about five furlongs on firm turf in :56.07. Richy  closed with a rush to finish second, a head in front of Belgrano .

Gear Jockey , the 1-5 favorite who was making his first start since finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Del Mar, raced evenly before settling for fifth.

Cazares said her career achievement was particularly special because she could share it with her owners.

"They're very hard-working people and they deserve the best. They've been through a lot," Cazares said. "They've worked their butts off and to do well for them means a lot to me because that's what I'm here for, to make them proud, to make them happy, and give them the thrill of a lifetime."

Bred in Florida by Sherry Mansfield and Kenneth Davis, Yes I Am Free is out of the winning Yes It's True  mare Yes It's Valid . The dam of four winners from four to race, and also has an unamed 2-year-old full sister to Yes I Am Free and a short yearling colt by Awesome Slew  . She was reported bred to Gunnevera   for 2022. 

Bloodstock agent Justin Casse signed the ticket on Yes I Am Free for $135,000 at the 2018 Ocala Breeders' Sales June Sale of 2-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age from the Hawk's Nest consignment, racing for owner Gary Barber and Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse before claimed by his current connections. 

From 20 career starts, Yes I Am Free holds an 8-2-3 record with earnings of $360,994.

Video: Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint S. (G3T)

Miss Auramet Leads Ladies Home

Multiple stakes winner Miss Auramet , unable to overcome traffic trouble in her prior start, had no such issues in her return Saturday at Gulfstream Park, cruising to a front-running 1 3/4-length victory in the $100,000 Ladies' Turf Sprint Stakes.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., Miss Auramet ($9.40) completed about five furlongs in :56.87 over a firm turf course. The victory upped the 6-year-old Uncaptured  mare's record to 11-8-3 from 28 starts and increased her earnings to $548,750.

"It just makes me feel real good, not because we own a piece of her but because she deserves it," Plesa said. "She just goes out there and tries hard every time she runs."

Owned by David Melin, Leon Ellman, and Plesa's wife, Laurie, Miss Auramet ran sixth, beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Miss J McKay  following a difficult trip in the five-furlong Abundantia Stakes Dec. 31 at Gulfstream. In their rematch Saturday, Miss J McKay was sent off the 3-5 favorite in a field of seven, with Miss Auramet a distant second choice at 7-2.

"I thought she ran the kind of race she was supposed to run last time. They didn't give her any respect. I was kind of surprised by that," Plesa said. "The last time she ran she got in a ton of trouble, there's no question about it.

"She's a hard-knocking old horse," he added. "She just had a clean trip, and the clean trip was the difference between her winning and losing."

Breaking from post 6, Miss Auramet quickly took command and ran an opening quarter-mile in :22.79 with only mild pressure from 33-1 longshot Sister Peacock . Meanwhile, Miss J McKay and jockey Tyler Gaffalione were forced to check just a few strides out of the gate and shuffled near the back of the pack and were never able to recover.

Leparoux and Miss Auramet remained in control through a half in :45.21 while Poseidon's Passion  took up the chase. Miss Auramet straightened for home comfortably in front and was never threatened as 27-1 longshot Nikee Kan  closed late to be second with Reinagol  third and Miss J McKay fourth.

"I had a good post today. She broke good and did her thing. We didn't have much pressure on the front end, and she did it easy, so at the end she came home very fast and she did it the whole way," Leparoux said. "I thought today we could get the lead. I didn't think we were going to go that easy, but she did it fine today."

Leparoux was riding Miss Auramet for the first time but recalled facing her when finishing second aboard Fouzia  in an optional claiming allowance sprinting five furlongs over the turf Dec. 5, opening weekend of Gulfstream's 2021-22 Championship Meet.

"I remember she was really, really fast," Leparoux said. "She was right next to me so I got to see her very close, but I couldn't get by her. I knew she was a game filly and she'd fight to the end.

"Even before the race, I was very confident. I thought she had a good chance to win," he added. "The way the first eighth (of a mile) went, I knew I had a big shot."

Miss Auramet was bred in Florida by Marion Montanari and is the first foal out of the Yes It's True mare Hello Rosie , who has three winners from three starters. Hello Rosie's unraced foals include a 3-year-old Palace  colt named Jackson's Webb, a 2-year-old Uncaptured colt named Shea On the Lam, and a yearling Khozan   colt. She was bred to Win Win Win   for 2022.

Originally a $42,000 by Hot Scot Racing Stable out of Summerfield's consignment at the 2017 OBS October Yearling Sale, Miss Auramet commanded $135,000 from her current owners when offered by consignor Julie Davies at the 2018 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. 

Video: Ladies' Turf Sprint S. (BT)