Gulfstream: Orseno seeks another stakes win in Turf Sprint

A week after visiting the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle following Hades’ 9-1 upset victory in the Grade 3 Holy Bull, trainer Joe Orseno and owner Robert Cotran will seek to notch another stakes victory with Eamonn in Saturday’s $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

Eamonn, a four-time winner at Gulfstream around two turns on turf, is scheduled to meet six other older horses at the five-furlong distance on turf.

“We decided to make him a sprinter this year, and we’re going to stick by that,” Orseno said. “I know he’ll stretch out a little bit more, but I’m determined to make him a sprinter. He’s doing everything right and has done everything I’ve asked him to do.”

Eamonn had success at sprint distances on turf last season, scoring a five-furlong overnight handicap victory at Gulfstream Park in May before capturing the 5 1/2-furlong Select Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Less than four hours after Eamonn captured the Aug. 16 Select Stakes, Orseno reached the 2,000-win milestone at Gulfstream Park with Lord Eddard Stark’s 21-1 upset victory in the program finale.

Eamonn returned from a freshening of nearly three months with a late-closing, third-place finish in the five-furlong Janus Stakes Dec. 21 at Gulfstream.

“His last race, he didn’t miss by much. Unfortunately, I’m only going to get five-eighths here. I’m setting him up for races in the spring at Keeneland at five-and-a-half,” Orseno said. “As soon as he starts doing that, I think we’ll start to see a different horse.”

Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano has the mount aboard the 6-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile.

Panther Island, who rallied to capture the Janus, is scheduled to seek his third straight victory since returning from a long layoff in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

Leonel Reyes, who has been aboard for his two recent scores, has the return call on the Laura Cazares-trained 5-year-old son of Speightstown.

Carotari has been no stranger to Gulfstream Park’s winner’s circle, having won multiple stakes at the five-furlong distance, including the 2021 Janus. The Brian Lynch-trained 8-year-old gelding will make his 10th start on Gulfstream turf after going unplaced only once.

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the mount on Carotari, who fell a half-length short of catching Yes I Am Free in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint last year.

That’s Right is scheduled to make his first start for trainer Jena Antonucci Saturday. The 5-year-old son of Goldencents, who won the Turf Monster (G3) last year, will be coming off a six-month layoff in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint under Jorge Ruiz.