Graded stakes winners Steal Sunshine and Tumbarumba rematch March 30 in the 1 1/16-mile $150,000 Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) after a nose separated the pair the last time they met at Gulfstream Park.
After tussling through quick fractions with Il Miracolo in the March 2 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2), Tumabarumba was confronted by Steal Sunshine inside the final furlong. Steal Sunshine, with a fast pace setting up his closing kick, appeard to be about to blow by when Tumbarumba responded with a battle. The two bobbed heads to the wire until a photograph determined Steal Sunshine prevailed. Il Miracolo was 2 3/4 lengths back in third.
The win was the first graded score for Steal Sunshine and upped his career earnings to $490,345 for owners Michael Iavarone, Jules Iavarone, and Carrie Brogden.
Tumbarumba exited his first graded victory Jan. 27 in Gulfstream's Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) having shown his determination with a hard-fought nose victory. Steal Sunshine was third, 3/4 lengths behind. Tumbarumba has earned $456,290 for Amerman Racing.
Both rivals could eclipse a half-million dollars in earnings with good showings.
Donegal Racing's Donegal Forever makes his stakes debut after returning from an eight-month layoff with a neck victory in a Gulfstream allowance Feb. 18, keeping him undefeated through two starts.
The Ghostzapper is race 7 with post time at 2:26 p.m. ET
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 30, 2024, Race 7Entries: Ghostzapper S. (G3)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
Lure Him In (FL)
Edwin Gonzalez
120
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
-
2
The Skipper Too (FL)
Emisael Jaramillo
118
Juan Alvarado
-
3
Il Miracolo (KY)
John R. Velazquez
122
Antonio Sano
-
4
X Y Point (KY)
Jorge Ruiz
118
Roderick R. Rodriguez
-
5
Tumbarumba (LA)
Jose L. Ortiz
124
Brian A. Lynch
-
6
Steal Sunshine (KY)
Paco Lopez
124
Bobby S. Dibona
-
7
Mbagnick (CHI)
Julien R. Leparoux
122
Amador Merei Sanchez
-
8
Donegal Forever (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Todd A. Pletcher
-