Gulfstream wrap: Affirmative Lady wins Ky. Oaks qualifier

Affirmative Lady, put in a steady drive midway around the far turn, powered through the stretch to pass Davona Dale winner Dorth Vader and pull clear to a two-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

The 53rd running of the 1 1/16-mile Oaks for 3-year-old fillies was the eighth of 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.35 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa for 3-year-olds.

Ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Graham Motion and owner AMO Racing USA, Affirmative Lady ($19) had placed twice previously in stakes including second by a neck in the Demoiselle (G2) last December at Aqueduct. She was coming out of a maiden special weight triumph going the Oaks distance Feb. 26 at Gulfstream, earning her a return trip to stakes competition.

“When she broke her maiden here five weeks ago, I thought it was really impressive and the timing was good,” Motion said. “I think she really wants to go further. I think she’ll really appreciate a mile and an eighth, to be honest.”

The Oaks was worth a total of 200 qualifying points to the top five finishers for the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Oaks (G1) May 5 at Churchill Downs. Affirmative Lady earned 100 points to seal her spot in the starting gate.

“There’s a big race going a mile and an eighth in May, so we'll think about that,” Motion said. “Look, if she comes out of it OK, we have to (run). That’s what she wants to do.”

Saez, aboard for the first time, settled Affirmative Lady in fourth saving ground on the rail as 30-1 long shot Flakes was in front through a quarter-mile in 23.73 seconds pressed by Jan. 1 Cash Run winner Infinite Diamond with Dorth Vader looming in the clear three wide. The order didn’t change after a half in 47.63 when Saez tipped Affirmative Lady off the rail to split horses and get into the race.

"The plan with her was to try to break good, get close and save ground. When we were ready, she kept going,” Saez said. “I had a lot of horse. Graham did an amazing job with her. She did great. She ran huge.”

Dorth Vader forged a short lead at the top of the stretch with Flakes digging in on the inside, but set Affirmative Lady down for a drive once straightened for home and reeled in the front runners in the final eighth of a mile with plenty left to turn back a late run from Sacred Wish, who got up for second. The winning time was 1:44.69 over a fast main track.

“I’m thrilled, extremely happy,” Saez said. “Graham always does a great job with his horses, and that gave me a lot of confidence she would have the stamina at the end. She demonstrated she has a great future and a very good chance to win the Kentucky Oaks. She’s versatile and knows how to settle nicely, which says a lot about her potential going longer.”

Sacred Wish, making just her third career start and first for trainer George Weaver, edged Flakes by a head for second to earn 40 Kentucky Oaks points. Flakes picked up 30 points, beating Dorth Vader by a neck for third.

“I liked the way everything fell in the race. I had to go a little wide and sacrifice a little bit with the outside post and she didn’t break that sharp out of the gate. She stumbled a little bit but she recovered and I liked the way she was doing it all the way down the backside,” Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, aboard Sacred Wish, said. “Her first time going two turns, she handled it well. She finished good. I’m very satisfied.”

Dorth Vader, breaking from outermost Post 8, now has 70 points after picking up 50 for her 4 ¾-length upset at odds of 46-1 in the one-mile Davona Dale.

"She broke out a bit and was very wide on the first turn,” trainer Michael Yates said. “We’ll see how she comes out of this and see how she trains and go from there.”

Miracle, the 2-1 favorite, Infinite Diamond, 2022 FSS My Dear Girl winner Atomically and Just Katherine completed the order of finish.

Therapist records first graded win in Pan American

Two starts after being claimed by trainer Mike Maker for $50,000 on behalf of owner Michael Dubb, 8-year-old Therapist secured the first graded-stakes victory of his long career Saturday in the $200,000 Pan American (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The 62nd running of the 1 1/2-mile Pan American for 4-year-olds and up on grass was the second of 10 stakes, five graded, worth $2.35 million in purses on a spectacular 14-race program anchored by the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) for 3-year-olds.

Even-money favorite Master Piece had the lead in the stretch and appeared poised to win, but he was caught and passed inside the sixteenth pole by Therapist on the inside and Bay Street Money on the outside. Therapist, a New York-bred son of Freud, prevailed by three-quarters of a length in 2:29.22 and paid $11.00. Master Piece finished third, a length behind Maker-trained Bay Street Money. Maker also finished fourth with Wicked Fast.

Primarily racing in New York, Therapist entered the Pan American with 11 victories in 38 starts, but was winless in five graded-stakes races. Following a victory in a starter allowance on Gulfstream’s Tapeta track on Feb. 11, Maker prepared the gelding for his first try at 1 1/2 miles. Therapist and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sat behind early fractions of 23.35, 48.53 and the mile in 1:38.78 and then made a run toward the lead.

"He’s an old, class horse," Mike Maker's assistant trainer Nolan Ramsey said after the race. "He does everything right. He’s easy to train. This was his first start at this distance, but his pedigree says he’ll run long, so we tried him here and it worked out."

Long shot Clapton fights off O'Connor in Ghostzapper

Arindel’s Clapton pulled off a 21-1 upset victory in Saturday’s $150,000 Ghostzapper (G3) at Gulfstream Park under an aggressive ride by Emisael Jaramillo. 

Clapton ($44.40) was rated off the pace set by Surly Furious into the backstretch of the 1 1/16-mile stakes for older horses on the main track before Jaramillo went on the offensive with a three-wide drive to pull alongside the pacesetter and stalker O’Connor on the turn into the homestretch. Clapton battled O’Connor through the stretch before edging clear to score.

Clapton, a 5-year-old homebred son of Brethren, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.94, a final time built on fractions of 24.38 and 48.79 seconds. O’Connor, making his first start since finishing off the board in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28, easily held second over a tiring Surly Furious.

Jockey Emisael Jaramillo was effusive after the race. “A graded-stakes win for Arindel, connections that thank God have supported me for a long time; I love this horse, I went to the barn several times to request the chance with him again, a horse that I have ridden since he was a baby, since he was a 2-year-old, so I had a lot of faith in him; the homestretch was a mano-a-mano with Irad (Ortiz Jr. on O’Connor), the type of race and show fans come to watch. He's a great jockey, a great person and a great friend, and he shook hands and congratulated me after the race."

Clement wins 8th Orchid with Amazing Grace

Though she did not have an ideal trip, Amazing Grace completed her first race in North America with a half-length victory Saturday in the $150,000 Orchid (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The 59th running of the 1 1/2-mile Orchid for fillies and mares 4 and up on the grass was the fourth of 10 stakes on the day's card.

Veteran trainer Christophe Clement, saddling the mare for the first time, won the Orchid for the eighth time. He also saddled third-place finisher Atomic Blonde.

While Transient led the way with opening fractions of 24.53 and 49.58 seconds, Amazing Grace and Joel Rosario were stationed near the back of the eight-horse field. Rosario had her toward the inside in the run through the backstretch, swung her wide on the third turn and came back closer to the rail when the leader, Personal Best, drifted out in the stretch.

Amazing Grace, a 5-year-old German-bred daughter of Protectionist, was twice a Group 2 winner in Germany. She finished in the top three in her final eight starts in Europe, all stakes. Moyglare Stud Farm purchased her for $895,972 at the Arqana December breeding stock sale in 2022 and sent her to Clement.

Sent off as the 6-5 favorite, Amazing Grace completed the 10 furlongs in 2:28.82 and paid $4.40. Joseph Allen’s Personal Best, who was bidding for her second-straight graded-stakes win, edged Atomic Blonde by 1 1/4 lengths for second.

"I'm not sure there are that many races I've won eight times," trainer Christophe Clement said after the race. "I'm not sure what that means. I'm getting old. That's what it means. She's been training well. They've (Amazing Grace and third-place finisher Atomic Blonde) have been training together. We were excited to see them run. It's a good story. Everybody's happy. They were very good purchases."

Behind Enemy Lines wins U.S. debut in Cutler Bay

Behind Enemy Lines turned in an impressive performance in his North American debut Saturday, winning the $100,000 Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park by two lengths. The eighth running of the Cutler Bay for 3-year-olds sprinting 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf was the first of 10 stakes on Saturday's card.

Trained by Jack Sisterson for new owners Talla Racing, Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen, Behind Enemy Lines stalked the early pace set by Drinking Problem of 25.05 and 48.80 seconds.

Jockey Jose Ortiz moved him to the outside in the second turn and he quickly accelerated to grab the lead. He extended his advantage in the stretch, reached the wire in 1:30.35 and paid $8.40 to win. LFG Racing’s Anglophile, making his first start since July 30 for trainer Brian Lynch, closed for second at 16-1. NBS Stable’s Dunedin was third.

Behind Enemy Lines, a son of Sioux Nation, began his career in Ireland with trainer Joseph O’Brien. Trainer Jack Sisterson gave credit to Behind Enemy Lines' ownership group for putting the horse in position for success. "A lot of guys want to get them here and run straight off the plane. But we thought he was a good horse when he arrived (two months ago), and we trained him that way, and it's paid off for them. We might look at the American Turf Stakes on Kentucky Derby day and see if he'll stretch out a bit for those big races. But the owners will make the decision."

Weyburn ends drought with gutsy win in Sir Shackleton

Chiefswood Stables Limited’s Weyburn, making just his second start in seven months, hooked up with a defiant Dean Delivers in midstretch and edged clear in the final sixteenth of a mile to defend his title in Saturday’s $100,000 Sir Shackleton at Gulfstream Park.

Weyburn's victory in the 11th running of the Sir Shackleton for 4-year-olds and up sprinting seven furlongs was the first win in six starts since last year’s Sir Shackleton, when trainer Jimmy Jerkens left the now 5-year-old Ontario-bred with Brendan Walsh when he returned to New York.

Weyburn ($6.40) completed the distance in 1:22.15 over a fast main track, giving jockey Jose Ortiz his third win of the day and second in a stakes following the $100,000 Cutler Bay with Behind Enemy Lines.

Ortiz settled Weyburn in midpack as 30-1 long shot Mish ran the opening quarter-mile in 23.14 seconds pressed by Paco’s Pico and Octane with Dean Delivers saving ground inside flanked by Collaborate. Weyburn ranged up to be third on the outside rounding the far turn and straightened for home in front, as Dean Delivers dug in along the rail and was resilient, but came up a neck short. Steal Sunshine came on to be third, with Celestial Glaze fourth.

Weyburn joined Travelin Man (2012-13) as a back-to-back winner of the Sir Shackleton. Ortiz previously won the Sir Shackleton in 2021 with Basin.