Graded Trio Clash at Gulfstream
Robert LaPenta’s Cool Coal Man, PARJ Stable’s Delightful Kiss and Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn have each won graded stakes races in the past at Gulfstream Park, and the trio have fallen into the same spot to launch their 2010 campaigns in Friday’s allowance feature at seven furlongs.
Jockey John R. Velazquez rides 5-year-old Cool Coal Man for trainer Nick Zito as he bids to climb back up into the major stakes ranks nearly two years after he won the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2). After finishing 15th of 20 behind Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby (G1) the son of Mineshaft would finish third to that rival again in the Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park that summer.
Cool Coal Man ran a very big race to win his 2009 season debut here late last January before narrow defeats when second in the Excelsior Handicap (G3) at Aqueduct and Alysheba Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs. He would go on to score in overnight stakes at Belmont Park and Saratoga, but made little impression when seventh in the Woodward (G1) at the Spa and fifth in the Meadowlands Cup (G2), the last on Oct. 16.
Delightful Kiss also got his 2009 season off to a strong start winning the Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) here by three lengths under jockey Calvin Borel, who had ridden him through a strong 2008 season. He closed out the year with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Marathon at Santa Anita and runner-up effort behind Einstein in the Clark Handicap (G2) at Churchill Downs for trainer Pete Anderson.
A 6-year-old roan/gray gelding by Kissin Kris, Delightful Kiss also was a good 3-year-old, posting his biggest scores in the Ohio Derby (G2) and Iowa Derby for owner-breeder Hobeau Farm. Delightful Kiss makes his first start since a dull try finishing 10th of 11 in the Canadian Turf (G3) here on Feb. 28 with jockey Juan Leyva named to ride and PARJ Stable as owner.
Jockey Edgar Prado gets the call on 5-year-old Hey Byrn for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. as he bids for his first trip to the winners’ circle since an allowance victory here last January. The son of Put It Back captured the 2008 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) by 2 ¼ lengths, a performance that earned him a trip to the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico where he seventh behind that year’s Florida Derby (G1) hero Big Brown.
Completing the field of six older horses drawn for Friday’s feature going as the third race are Lawrence Carroll’s Bold Start, Kent Desormeaux; E. Paul Robsham Stables’ Giant Deputy, Javier Castellano; and Rainmom Partners’ Momsboy, Elaine Castillo.