Gulfstream: See stakes winners on Fountain of Youth card

Grand Sonata, winless in his previous 10 races, ended his long drought Saturday with a victory in the Grade 2, $225,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The 7-year-old, owned by Whisper Hill Farm, dug in late to hold off Echo Lane, with Anegada settling for third.

The 30th running of the Mac Diarmida for older horses going 1 3/8 miles on the turf was the eighth of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $2.025 million in purses on a card that preceded the $425,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1).

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione for trainer Todd Pletcher, Grand Sonata last won at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 7, 2024, in the Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes (G2). He had earlier success at Gulfstream, where he won the Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3) in 2022.

Gaffalione rode three graded stakes winners on Saturday's card, all on the turf. Pletcher won a pair of stakes, including the Davona Dale with She Be Smooth.

The victory increased Grand Sonata's career earnings to $2.6 million and improved his record to six wins in 34 career starts.

"He's such a good horse," Pletcher said. "We gave him a little bit of a break last fall, and he's come back really well. He seems to be rounding into his best form."

Gaffalione has extensive experience with the horse, having ridden Grand Sonata in 16 of his previous starts.

"Todd's done a great job bringing him back," Gaffalione said. "He felt great today. He was there every step and finished the job. Today I took him off the pony, he was much sharper. He broke sharp and traveled like a winner the whole way, maybe he's figured things out once he gets more involved."

Grand Sonata completed the distance in 2:11.26.

Just Basking closes late to win The Very One

Just Basking closed from last to first to capture the Grade 3, $175,000 The Very One Handicap, a 1 3/8-mile turf event for fillies and mares at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by Andrew Schwarz and Wendy Schwarz Gilder, the 5-year-old was sent off at odds of 13-1. Jockey Javier Castellano took her back, allowed her to settle along the rail and surged past the field in the stretch to prevail over No Show Sammy Jo.

"I had a beautiful trip," Castellano said. "That was what I was looking for today. I was a little concerned being last in the race, but I didn't want to change my style. It's really hard to come from behind. I have to give all the credit to the horse, the way he finished. It was an amazing kick."

Trained by Ian Wilkes, Just Basking was making her second start following an 11-month layoff but had never won on the turf. As a 3-year-old in 2024, she finished third in the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga and posted her only previous stakes score in the Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows.

Gallant Greta established the early pace in The Very One and maintained her advantage into the stretch before No Show Sammy Jo challenged and snatched the lead.

But Just Basking, who mounted her charge from the outside, reached the wire first in a time of 2:11.31. Dona Clota took third behind No Show Sammy Jo.

Knightsbridge takes Gulfstream Park Mile

Knightsbridge overpowered and outclassed four rivals Saturday on his way to a geared-down 11-length triumph in the $225,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (G3).

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for Godolphin, the 5-year-old son of Nyquist turned in his third straight eye-catching graded stakes victory of Gulfstream's 2025-2026 championship meet, carrying on a family tradition in the mile event for older horses. The race was one of nine stakes, eight graded, on a 14-race card headlined by the $425,000 Fountain of Youth (G2).

Knightsbridge, the 1-5 favorite who was coming off a 4-length score in the seven-furlong Mr. Prospector (G3) Dec. 27 and another 4-length victory in the mile Fred W. Hooper (G3) Jan. 24, followed in the footsteps of his half-brother. Speaker's Corner, a Mott-trained son of Street Sense out of Tyburn Brook, captured the 2022 edition of the Gulfstream Park Mile by 5 lengths after a triumph in the Fred W. Hooper (G3) in his prior start at Gulfstream.

Knightsbridge broke cleanly from his outside post position to gain prime stalking position behind pacesetter Mika, a 4-year-old son of Catholic Boy who was coming off an off-the-board finish in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) on the Jan. 24 card at Gulfstream. Mika showed the way along the backstretch and into the far turn under Flavien Prat before Knightsbridge pulled alongside and moved away without encouragement from jockey Junior Alvarado on the turn into the homestretch. The emerging star turned the stretch run of the 82nd edition of the one-turn mile into a dazzling showcase of his superior talents.

"I think he's the best miler in the country right now. It was almost like a paid workout. He was just much the best. Leaving the half-mile pole, he told me, 'Listen, I'm ready, let's go.' My horse is just better," Alvarado said. "Mr. Mott – he's a Hall of Famer for a reason – if he decides to stretch him out, his pedigree says he probably could be able to make the two turns. But, as of right now, I'm very happy for him being the best miler in the country."

Knightsbridge, who has won six of eight career starts around one turn, ran the mile in 1:35.77 well within himself.

"He ran really well today. He's run three times down here and he's run well every time. It looks like he's done it with authority the last couple times. He looks good," Mott said. "We're pleased to get the wins under his belt in the graded stakes and hopefully there's more to come."

Mott said Knightsbridge will not be stretched out around two turns in the immediate future.

"Right now, we're not going to think about that. There's a couple of very important races coming up at one turn and we're probably going to give that a try right now, potentially at Churchill Downs," said Mott, referring to the May 3 Churchill Downs (G1), a seven-furlong stakes won by last year's Gulfstream Park Mile victor Mindframe. "Naturally, I'd love to have a horse to run in the Met Mile (G1, Saratoga, June 6) if it turns out that way. He'd be a possibility."

Steal Sunshine, who won the 2024 Gulfstream Park Mile before finishing second last year, closed mildly to finish second, a half-length ahead of Flying Liam. Mika faded to fourth, another 6 lengths back.

Tiz Dashing wins Canadian Turf

Tiz Dashing, second by a nose after encountering trouble in his prior start, got an ideal trip from Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano to kick off his 4-year-old season in style in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Canadian Turf at Gulfstream Park.

The 60th running of the Canadian Turf for older horses going 1 1/16 miles on the grass was the second of nine stakes, eight graded, worth $2.025 million in purses on a Saturday program anchored by the $425,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) for 3-year-olds on the road to the $1 million Florida Derby (G1).

It was the third career win for Tiz Dashing ($24.80) and second in a graded-stakes race following the Hill Prince (G3) last fall at Aqueduct. A 4-year-old colt by Tiz the Law, Tiz Dashing is owned by Sackatoga Stable and trained by Barclay Tagg, just like his Belmont-winning sire.

In his prior start Tiz Dashing trailed all but one horse midway through Gulfstream’s 1 1/16-mile Tropical Park Derby Dec. 13 and had his rally come up just short.

“He showed up today,” Sackatoga’s Jack Knowlton said. “We know he’s been training really well. He had a bullet his last work up at Palm Meadows. Barclay and Robin (Smullen, assistant trainer) have done just a fabulous job with him.

“He should have won the stake that he got beat here in December; he just had a horrible trip. Javier, he knows how to ride him. He won a stake with him up at Aqueduct and gave him a perfect trip today,” he added. “To see him win by open lengths with this field is just incredible.”

Multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire Wolfie’s Dynaghost was sent off the 1-2 favorite in his 8-year-old debut after missing a start in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) following surgery to remove a cyst near his ribcage. As expected, he went straight to the lead and was in front through splits of 22.97 and 45.97 seconds with 22-1 longshot Stars and Strides in close pursuit.

Castellano kept Tiz Dashing in the clear three wide racing alongside Beach Gold in the second flight of horses, moving into contention after Wolfie’s Dynaghost lost the lead following six furlongs in 1:08.71. Castellano was able to find room and split horses once straightened for home, accelerating away from the group to win by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:38.07 over a firm turf course.

“My goal today was to get a forward position. Break well from the gate, get good position on the first turn, move up a little and keep track of the pace,” Castellano said. “I really liked the way he did it today.”

Battle of Normandy emerged from a tight four-way photo for second, closely followed by Beach Gold in third, Fort Washington in fourth and Wolfie’s Dynaghost, who tired to be fifth in his first start since Dec. 20. Win for the Money, Westside Tide and Stars and Strides completed the order of finish.

Vasy surges late to prevail in Colonel Liam

Vasy kicked off the stakes portion of Gulfstream’s 14-race program Saturday with a late-rallying victory in the $200,000 Colonel Liam, a mile turf event for 3-year-olds carded as Race 3.

The Ireland-bred son of Space Blues, trained by Brendan Walsh for owner JDT Racing, graduated in his fourth career start in a 7 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream in his previous start. He was the beneficiary of a ground-saving trip under Flavien Prat.

Vasy ($19.40) rated behind pacesetter I C Light, who set fractions of 22.86 and 46.81 seconds for the first half-mile while pressed by Honey Dutch. I C Light showed the way into the stretch before being overtaken by Honey Dutch, who appeared to be on his way to victory under Irad Ortiz Jr. in mid-stretch. Taken off the rail, Vasy made a late nearing the wire to get up in time to prevail over Honey Dutch by a neck.

“He likes this track. He handles this track very well. We knew we weren’t without a chance today, even though it was a very strong field,” Walsh said. “He's improving as he goes along. He's a quick horse, and he acts well on this track.”

Vasy ran a mile over a firm turf course in 1:33.22.

“We had a good draw, and we wanted to take advantage of it,” Prat said of Vasy’s ground-saving journey. “He gave me a good run when I was able to clear.”

Vasy is likely to return to action at Gulfstream in the Cutler Bay on the undercard of the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 28, Walsh said.

Honey Dutch finished second, two lengths ahead of late-running Zeppelin.