Tumbarumba, Castle Chaos Renew Rivalry in GP Mile

Tumbarumba  and Castle Chaos , separated by a nostril during a dramatic running of the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) on Pegasus World Cup day, renew their rivalry in the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2) March 2. Both geldings carry their form into a race in which many of the key contenders are exiting lackluster performances or layoffs.

Trained by Brian Lynch for owner Amerman Racing, Tumbarumba earned his first graded stakes win in the mile Fred W. Hooper. The son of Oscar Performance   should find himself in another ideal stalking spot early with the lack of pace in Saturday's race.

Luis Saez is back aboard the improving Louisiana-bred.

"He’s an Oscar Performance and he’s just a special horse to me," said Lynch, who trained Oscar Performance, a four-time grade 1 winner on the turf, for Amerman Racing. "He’s such a game horse when he can get engaged in sort of a head bob... All around, just a neat, neat horse and I’m just so excited about him.”

Castle Chaos was a heart-wrenching second at 27-1 after looking like a winner only yards from the wire. The 6-year-old by Palace Malice  has been knocking at the black-type door in his latest two outings for trainer Robert Falcone Jr., finishing third in the Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct Racetrack Dec. 2.

Carrying four pounds less than Tumbarumba, Castle Chaos will hope for a clean break and ground-saving trip from John Velazquez. The unlucky bay has had a rough start in four of his last six trips to the post.

Back to the Dirt He Goes

Although the Todd Pletcher-trained Wit  has recorded his best speed figures on turf, the son of Practical Joke   will kick off his 5-year-old campaign on the dirt. Campaigned by Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Gainesway Stable, Wit is a two-time graded stakes winner on the main track, capturing the Sanford Stakes (G3) at 2 and the Bay Shore Stakes (G3) at 3.

Sidelined since a third-place effort in an off-the-turf edition of the Belmont Turf Sprint Stakes, Wit has been burning up the morning work tab at Palm Beach Downs training center ahead of his 2024 debut. Three of his last four breezes have been bullet works, with his most recent drill a 1:00.28 five-furlong clocking Feb. 24.

"We just sort of freshened him up hopefully for a good campaign this year," Pletcher said. "He's pretty versatile. We just felt like we wanted to give him another try on the dirt. He's one of those horses where you can go a lot of different directions with.

"We're just kind of trying to find exactly what his specialty is. If he does well going a mile on the dirt, it opens up a lot of options moving forward."

Wit would give Pletcher his seventh win in the Gulfstream Park Mile following his success with Fearless (2021), Prince Lucky (2019), Blofeld (2016), Palace Malice (2014), Discreet Dancer (2013), and Harlington (2006)