Gulfstream Park Notes - Sunday, January, 25

January 26, 2009

A strong workout on the grass course Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park solidified plans for Phipps Stables Pick Six as a contender for the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) next Sunday.

Trainer Shug McGaughey was on the lookout for a solid performance in the half-mile breeze as he seeks an improvement on a ninth-place finish in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes here on Jan. 10 by the 5-year-old homebred son of Dynaformer.

That looked good to me, said McGaughey moments after Pick Six checked in with a 53 1/5 clocking well out on the crown of the track around traffic cones or dogs.

McGaughey was disappointed by the dull finish in Pick Sixs last race and said the horses schedule didnt fall into place in time.

His training got kind of messed up a bit in terms of when I could get him on the grass, he said. I had to put some works into him in a hurry and he wasnt all the way there.

Pick Six will be bidding for his first career stakes victory. He finished second in the Four Bases Stakes at Aqueduct in November and has a maiden and two allowance race wins to his credit in 15 career starts.

Jambalaya Not Quite Ready for Gulfstream Park Turf Return

The comeback story for Kingfield Racing Stables 7-year-old turf star Jambalaya wont include a chapter about earning a second title in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) next Sunday as the 2007 winner of that race is not quite ready for his first start in 17 months.

Hes getting there, but its still just a little too soon, said trainer Catherine Day-Phillips. Hes been breezing every week and hes starting to turn back into a racehorse. Hes just about rid of the pot belly and looking more like an athlete.

Jambalaya, a gelded son of Dynaformer, emerged from his victory in the 2007 Arlington Million (G1) with a deep bone bruise. He was working toward a return last winter in Florida, but was hampered by a pulled muscle in his hind end.

Day-Phillips has been shuttling between Ocala and Gulfstream Park where Jambalaya has been drilling since mid-December. The daughter of Canadian racing Hall of Fame horseman Jim Day admits its been a learning process figuring out how to help her star pupil get back on his game.

Its a different feeling getting one horse to come back like this, said Day-Phillips. Weve been feeling and working our way through it. We couldnt really keep him at Woodbine as the track got frozen there. We figured sending him here would give him the right opportunity to think hes a racehorse again. Its a bit of a juggle because weve got 40 horses in Ocala, but it seems to be working well.

Jambalayas latest breeze was a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 flat on the main track Sunday morning, confirming for Day-Phillips what she had been seeing in the horses previous workouts.

Hes also been away so long we need to take him to the gate again. That will be the next step.

While the Gulfstream Park Turf has been ruled out, Day-Phillips indicated Jambalaya should be ready for his comeback in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3) at one mile Feb. 28.

Einstein Posts Handy Workout in Final Move Ahead of Donn

Midnight Cry Stables multiple Grade 1-winner Einstein posted his last drill Sunday morning at Gulfstream Park before taking a swing in Saturdays $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1), the premier main track race of the season for older horses.

The 7-year-old Brazilian-bred son of Spend a Buck worked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00 flat with jockey Julien Leparoux aboard for trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi.

The winner of the 2006 and 2008 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1) remains on target for the dirt attempt. He won the Clark Handicap (G2) on the Churchill Downs main track in his last start on Nov. 28.

Bruce N Autumn Added to Holy Bull Challengers

Zayat Stables Bruce N Autumn will get another test of his credentials for the Triple Crown trail when the 3-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid starts in Saturdays $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Bruce N Autumn a sharp half-mile in 47 2/5 for trainer Dale Romans Sunday morning at Gulfstream and will look for his charge to bounce back from a fifth-place effort in a stakes caliber allowance race here Jan. 8.

He worked good and will get the shot, said Romans of Bruce N Autumn, who is 1-for-3 with his lone victory coming on the turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26. Were going to test him to see if he needs to go back to the turf or if he can compete with the top 3-year-olds on dirt.

The Holy Bull is the headliner in the sophomore division Saturday and shares the marquee with the $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1) for older horses, both races run at 1 1/8 miles

Talent Search to Return in Wednesday Allowance Feature

Ken and Sarah Ramseys 6-year-old homebred Talent Search ranked high among the nations sprinters in 2007, and is entered to return to competition to in Wednesdays optional/allowance feature at 6 furlongs after making only one start in 2008.

Jockey Julien Leparoux is named to ride the son of Catienus in his first start for trainer Mike Maker. Talent Search was trained by Mark Shuman in 2007 when he finished second in the Vosburgh Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park, third behind Midnight Lute in the Breeders Cup Sprint (G1) at Monmouth Park and second in the De Francis Memorial (G1) at Laurel Park.

In his only start last year for trainer Bobby Frankel, Talent Search finished a game second in the Phoenix Stakes (G3) on Polytrack at Keeneland. He has posted a steady series of workouts over the Gulfstream track over the last month in preparation for another campaign.

However, Talent Search is not in a soft spot for his return. The field of eight also includes M375 Thoroughbreds and Suarez Tracings Golden Spikes and Robert LaPentas Cool Coal Man, both 4-year-olds with Grade 2 stakes wins last year. Jockey John R. Velazquez rides Golden Spikes as the son of Seeking the Gold bids to bounce back from a dull try on the Pro-Ride surface at Santa Anita, finishing seventh in the Malibu Stakes (G1) on Dec. 26.

Trained by Marty Wolfson, Golden Spikes was considered a potential Triple Crown race prospect early last year when second in the Illinois Derby (G2), but found his best stride when turned back to sprint distances over the summer, scoring his biggest victory in the Carry Back Stakes (G2) in July at Calder.

Jockey Jose Lezcano gets the call on Cool Coal Man for trainer Nick Zito in his first start since finishing fifth in the Jerome Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park on Oct. 5. The son of Mineshaft won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) here in late February, but failed to show his best when ninth in the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland and 15th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Completing the field for Wednesdays feature are Windmill Manor Farms Knights Cross, Cornelio Velasquez; David and Teresa Palmers Storm in May, Juan Leyva; E. Paul Robsham Stables Gold Trippi, Javier Castellano; Lawrence Carrolls Bold Start, Kent Desormeaux; and Rose Family Stables Rexsons Rose, Wesley Henry.