Gulfstream: See winners on Florida Derby 2026 undercard

Repole Stable's Grande controlled the pace from the inside and turned back a late bid from Capital Idea to score by 3/4 of a length Saturday in the Grade 3, $175,000 Ghostzapper Stakes at Gulfstream Park, remaining undefeated in four starts at the track.

John Velazquez rode the victory for trainer Todd Pletcher in the 1 1/16-mile dirt race for older horses, which drew seven starters after scratches to Forged Steel and Timeout.

The Curlin colt broke alertly from the rail and set tepid fractions of 24.57 seconds and 49.42. Racing Driver (64-1), with Micah Husbands aboard, stalked three wide in second through the early stages as Capital Idea (7-1) settled along the rail in third under Júnior Alvarado.

Capital Idea advanced into second around the far turn and moved out three wide leaving the three-sixteenths pole to launch a bid at the furlong marker. Grande led through three-quarters in 1:13.56 and a mile in 1:37.89, and Velazquez roused his mount right-handed before switching to a left-handed reminder to pull away for a final time of 1:44.26 on the fast main track.

"There was no speed in the race," Velazquez said. "I was obligated to come out of there and get a position going into the first turn. Once we got there, he was cruising all the way around and waiting for the competition. He's not the kind of horse that goes on and opens up on other horses, so he was kind of waiting for the competition to come right next to him and when I asked him he responded nicely."

Grande paid $2.20, $2.10 and $2.10. Capital Idea, trained by Bill Mott, returned $3.20 and $2.60 to place and show. Racing Driver held third and paid $5.00 to show.

Lightning Tones (24-1) finished fourth, followed by Cadet Corps (12-1), Steal Sunshine (14-1) and Freedom Principle (67-1).

Runner-up in last year's Wood Memorial (G2), Grande returned Feb. 14 to win at a mile at Gulfstream before Saturday's graded stakes score.

"I thought he ran like he was supposed to," Pletcher said. "It looked like he was waiting on company a little bit. When the other horse came to him, he found a little bit more. It was another good, solid effort by him. I think he's versatile enough in a scenario where there's not a lot of speed, he can set the pace. But he wouldn't mind having a target either."

Pletcher indicated the next step is undecided but expressed optimism about options.

"It's nice to have a good older horse. There are plenty more options," Pletcher said. "I feel like he can handle more distance."

Far Bridge nails Corruption in Pan American

LSU Stables' Far Bridge returned from a nearly six-month layoff and rallied three wide off the turn to catch pacesetter Corruption by a neck Saturday in the Grade 3, $225,000 Pan American Stakes, improving to a perfect 5-for-5 on the Gulfstream Park turf course with his second straight victory in the 1 1/2-mile stakes for older horses.

Flavien Prat, aboard for the first time, rode the victory for trainer Miguel Clement in a field of eight that lost Dancin in Da'nile at the gate and Padiddle as a stakes scratch.

Corruption (2-1), ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Mark Casse, set the pace along the rail through fractions of 23.58, 47.81 and 1:12.59 seconds. Dashman (7-2) pressed two to three wide under Joel Rosario as Far Bridge (6-5) tracked from the pocket in third.

The running order held through a mile in 1:36.92, with Corruption maintaining a half-length advantage. Corruption shook clear leaving the turn and opened a 1 1/2-length advantage in the stretch, but Prat angled Far Bridge three wide and closed with a strong late run to get up in the shadow of the wire.

"We found ourselves in a good spot and he gave me a good run," Prat said. "I was a bit worried about my draw being on the outside, but we found a good spot and he gave me a good run."

The final time was 2:23.51 on the firm turf. Far Bridge paid $4.40, $2.60 and $2.20. Corruption returned $3.40 and $2.40 to place and show. Echo Lane (7-1), ridden by Edwin Gonzalez for trainer Rohan Crichton, tracked the pace and came four wide off the turn to finish third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Corruption, and paid $3.20 to show.

Il Siciliano (20-1) made a four-wide move on the far turn but flattened to finish fourth. Dashman weakened in the final furlong to finish fifth. Brotha Keny (25-1) had no late rally in sixth, and Soliway (FR) (58-1) tired to finish seventh.

Junipero Serra (48-1) went wrong leaving the quarter pole and was pulled up leaving the turn. He walked off.

The 6-year-old English Channel horse proved himself one of the nation's top distance turf runners in 2025, winning the Man o' War (G2) and Bowling Green (G2), both in New York, in addition to last year's Pan American. When Far Bridge won the 2025 Pan American, he was saddled by Miguel's father, Christophe Clement, who died two months later.

"Last year started off a great season and we're hoping for the same this year," Miguel Clement said.

With Saturday's victory, Far Bridge surpassed $2.5 million in career earnings.

Sultana springs upset in Orchid

Lou Donato, Theodore Manziaris, Paul Borrelli and Lanni Bloodstock's Sultana rallied from well off the pace and got up in the final strides to deliver an 18-1 upset by a neck Saturday in the Grade 3, $175,000 Orchid Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Unraced since winning her stakes debut in the Nov. 8 Maple Leaf (G3) on the Tapeta course at Woodbine, the Kevin Attard-trained 5-year-old daughter of Always Dreaming outran her odds against more experienced rivals in the 62nd running of the 1 1/2-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares.

Júnior Alvarado settled Sultana well off the pace as Ayra Stark (4-1) set the tempo along the rail under Joel Rosario. Ramsey Pond (26-1) pressed two wide, and favored Bellezza (8-5) tracked in range. There was little change in the running order for the first mile, clocked in 1:14.22 on fractions of 23.79 and 48.71 seconds, until Sultana entered the picture with a three-wide move on the far turn.

Ramsey Pond took the lead near the three-eighths pole but weakened into the stretch. Ayra Stark shook off that bid and opened a narrow lead as Speed Shopper (5-2) mounted an attack and Sultana loomed on the far outside. Ayra Stark dug in approaching the wire but could not hold off the closer.

"Kevin wanted to make sure my filly gets relaxed. That's what I was working on throughout the race. I got some cover and she was very kind to me," Alvarado said. "When I got her to the outside, I could tell she was going to be game to the end."

Sultana completed the distance in 2:24.47 on the firm turf and paid $39.20, $12.00 and $5.80. Ayra Stark held second, three-quarters of a length back, and returned $5.20 and $3.40. Speed Shopper, ridden by John Velazquez for trainer William Walden, rallied after getting shuffled back in upper stretch to finish third and pay $2.60 to show.

Just Basking (7-1) rallied belatedly for fourth. Ramsey Pond faded to fifth. Bellezza, the Flavien Prat-ridden favorite trained by Miguel Clement, bumped at the start and made a three-wide bid on the far turn before flattening to finish sixth. Dona Clota (5-1) trailed throughout and finished last.

Sultana had run on turf only once in five prior starts before Saturday, scoring an impressive 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance victory before the Maple Leaf.

"She'd been training really well at Palm Meadows. Obviously it was a tough task for her off the bench, but she had trained well. She looked physically great," Attard said. "When we ran her on the turf last season, I thought that was her best performance up to date, so we were anxious to get her back on the grass. I think she really excels over it. I was a little concerned about the pace setup today, but it actually turned out a little quicker than I thought it would. Junior gave her a great ride. He got her to settle and when called on she came with a good run."