Drain the Clock Makes 2022 Debut in GP Sprint
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Photo: Coglianese Photos/Janet Garaguso
Drain the Clock defeats Jackie's Warrior in the 2021 Woody Stephens Stakes at Belmont Park
After establishing himself as one of the top 3-year-old sprinters in the country last year, Drain the Clock is scheduled to make his 2022 debut Feb. 19 in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes, going six furlongs on the dirt for a chance at a $150,000 purse.
"I think he's going to come back better. All indications point that way. He's filled out. He's trained lights-out," trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. "He obviously had a good 3-year-old season. Even if he came back as good, you'd be happy, but I think he'll come back better. Every indication so far is that he's a better horse than he was. That's a good sign."
Slam Dunk Racing, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Nentwig's grade 1 stakes winner is expected to receive a stern test in his return to action, in which the son of Maclean's Music will be challenged by multiple graded stakes winner Diamond Oops and four other older horses.
Drain the Clock has won four of five starts at Gulfstream Park, his only loss coming in a second-place finish in last year's 1 1/16-mile Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2). The Kentucky-bred colt, who won the six-furlong Limehouse Stakes and seven-furlong Claiborne Farm Swale Stakes (G3) prior to the Fountain of Youth, went on to win the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct Racetrack and Woody Stephens Stakes Presented by Nassau County Industrial Development Agency (G1) at Belmont Park. After beating heavily favored Jackie's Warrior in the Woody Stephens, Drain the Clock finished second behind the eventual Eclipse Award-winning sprinter in the Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course. He went to the sidelines for a freshening after finishing fourth behind Jackie's Warrior in the Aug. 28 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1) at Saratoga.
Drain the Clock, who has registered bullet workouts at a half-mile and five furlongs in preparation for the Gulfstream Park Sprint, could use the race as a stepping stone to either the March 26 Al Quoz Sprint (G1) or the April 9 Carter Handicap (G1).
"The Carter is in play, but if he goes well here, I think we're going to go to Dubai with him," Joseph said.
Diamond Oops also brings multiple graded stakes-winning credentials into the Gulfstream Park Sprint, as well as an affinity for the Gulfstream racing surface. The 7-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky , a grade 2 winner on turf and dirt, is scheduled to make his 2022 debut Saturday and his first start since finishing off the board in the Oct. 9 Keeneland Turf Mile Stakes (G1T). Diamond Oops is cross-entered in the Turf Dash Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on the same day.
"Last October, we sent him on vacation for eight weeks and he came back fresh and happy. He's re-entered the breezing program," trainer Patrick Biancone said. "He may not be coming into the race at 100% but he's coming into it well enough to run a good race."
Diamond Oops has amassed earnings of more than $1.3 million in five years of racing for Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, D P Racing, and Patrick Biancone Racing.
David Melin, Leon Ellman, and Laurie Plesa's Miles Ahead also touts graded stakes credentials into the Gulfstream Park Sprint. The 5-year-old gelded son of Competitive Edge , who captured the Smile Sprint Invitational Stakes (G3) on last summer's Summit of Speed program, has won nine of 18 starts at Gulfstream, including scores in the Dec. 4 Claiming Crown Rapid Transit Starter Stakes and a Jan. 16 starter optional claiming allowance in his two most recent outings.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 19, 2022, Race 11Entries: Gulfstream Park Sprint S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Gatsby (FL)
Javier Castellano
120
Carlos A. David
4/1
2
2Francatelli (KY)
Emisael Jaramillo
120
Brendan P. Walsh
12/1
3
3Doc Amster (KY)
Chantal Sutherland
118
Jorge Delgado
8/1
4
4Miles Ahead (KY)
Paco Lopez
120
Edward Plesa, Jr.
7/2
5
5Diamond Oops (KY)
Romero Ramsay Maragh
120
Patrick L. Biancone
3/1
6
6Drain the Clock (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
120
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
8/5
