Gulfstream Park offers 8 graded stakes on New Year's weekend
What better way to ring in the New Year than a three-day weekend with eight stakes, highlighted by preps for Gulfstream Park’s three most prestigious events, the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) and the Florida Derby (G1).
The Harlan’s Holiday (G3), a key prep for the Jan. 27 Pegasus, and the Fort Lauderdale (G2), a steppingstone to the Pegasus Turf, will headline a program with four stakes on Saturday, Dec. 30, and the Mucho Macho Man on New Year's Day will be the first stop on the road to the March 30 Florida Derby.
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The Harlan’s Holiday, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up, received 17 nominations, including four Pegasus hopefuls trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. The defending two-time championship meet training titlist has nominated O’Connor, who captured the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland in his most recent start; Ny Traffic, a Grade 1 stakes-placed multiple stakes winner; West Coast Cowboy, a multiple graded stakes-placed son of West Coast; and County Final, who finished third in the Sabal Palm last time out.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has nominated three for the Harlan’s Holiday, Gasoline, Grand Aspen and Dynamic One.
Trainer Kenny McPeek nominated Smile Happy, a multiple Grade 2 winner, and trainer Danny Gargan is represented by Grade 2 winner Dubyuhnell.
The Fort Lauderdale, a 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds and up, drew 19 nominations, including Atone, who captured the Pegasus World Cup Turf last year. Trainer Michael Maker, who saddled Atone for his career achievement, also is represented on the nominations list by Beuys, Dynadrive, Henley’s Joy, Red Run and Street Ready.
Trainer Chad Brown has nominated a quartet of horses for the Fort Lauderdale, Exact Estimate, I’m Very Busy, Running Bee, and Stone Age.
Pletcher, who saddled Colonel Liam for back-to-back Pegasus Turf wins in 2021 and 2022, has nominated three for the Fort Lauderdale, Grand Sonata, Jerry the Nipper and Grand Aspen.
The Harlan’s Holiday and the Fort Lauderdale will be joined on the Dec. 30 card by the Suwannee River (G3) and Rampart.
The Suwannee River, a mile turf race for fillies and mares on turf, is a prep for the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G2). The 74th running of the tradition-rich stakes drew 20 nominations, including Accomplished Girl, who won the Presque Isle Masters (G2) last time out, and six Brown trainees.
The Rampart, a mile stakes for fillies and mares on the main track, drew 11 nominations, including defending champion Maryquitecontrary, who went on to win the Inside Information (G2).