Reef Runner points to Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day

Millionaire Florida-homebred Reef Runner will target the Grade 1, $500,000 Jaipur on Saturday, June 6, Belmont Stakes Day, at Saratoga, with trainer David Fawkes nominating the gelding for the 5 1/2-furlong "Win and You're In" turf sprint that offers a berth into the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in October at Keeneland.

The 5-year-old son of The Big Beast returned to the work tab Saturday at Gulfstream Park for the first time since a successful Middle East campaign. Owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Reef Runner captured the Group 2 1351 Turf Sprint in February at King Abdulaziz Racecourse and finished a 1 1/2-length fourth in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on March 28 at Meydan.

Reef Runner breezed a half-mile on the Tapeta in 46.90 seconds, working outside Send Cash, a maiden winner entered Friday at Gulfstream.

"He looks fantastic. I nominated him for the Jaipur. We're coming," Fawkes said. "He traveled unbelievable from Dubai. He got off the plane like I vanned him from Ocala to Miami. I gave him 3 1/2-weeks with Nick Esler in Ocala, who took great care of him for me. Nick called me and said, 'Dave, you need to bring him back to work. He's a wild man.'"

Reef Runner posted a record of 10: 3-2-3 last year for purse earnings of $378,065 but turned a corner after a freshening and being gelded ahead of an August return in the Warrior's Pride overnight.

"He came back to the track and looked like a different animal. I didn't recognize him," Fawkes said.

In the Warrior's Pride, traveling five furlongs over firm Gulfstream turf, Reef Runner stalked from fifth as El Apagon zipped through a half-mile in 43.53 seconds. Reylu Gutierrez tipped Reef Runner three-wide for the stretch run to take command inside the final sixteenth and score by one length in a final time of 55.10 seconds.

The winning effort earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form, but the way he did it impressed Fawkes.

"When he won the little race here at Gulfstream, I knew we were going somewhere. I called Mr. Lieblong the minute he crossed the wire and said, 'we're going to California for the 'Win and You're In,'" Fawkes said. "I told him that this was a different animal than the one I sent to the farm and gelded. That was a really good race in fast fractions. That's where we could see he had a bright future."

Reef Runner shipped to Del Mar for the five-furlong Green Flash Handicap on Aug. 30, which offered a berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. Exiting post 11 of 12 under Paco Lopez, he came over soon after the start into Queen Maxima with Motorious being pinched back and steadied. Reef Runner made a brave run up the rail and crossed the wire first by a nose over the closing Motorious, but a stewards' inquiry saw Reef Runner disqualified and placed second.

The bay made amends next out in the 6 1/2-furlong Eddie D (G2) on Sept. 27 at Santa Anita, rallying from last of eight to score by a half-length over possible Jaipur rival Yellow Card.

Reef Runner registered a career-best 100 Beyer in the Eddie D and followed with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint in November at Del Mar before returning victoriously to Gulfstream in December to complete a productive campaign in the five-furlong Janus over firm footing.

With Irad Ortiz Jr. up, Reef Runner put together a sensational run in the 1351 Turf Sprint to best the favored Lazzat by a neck, stopping the clock in 1:18.24 for 6 3/4 furlongs with a closer trip than usual over the good/firm course.

His last-out run on the straight under William Buick in the six-furlong Al Quoz Sprint saw Reef Runner looking for a lane over the good going. He dove to the rail late and surged to finish fourth to the victorious Native Approach, a neck back of third-place familiar foe Lazzat.

"Irad couldn't have ridden him any better. That's why he's the leading rider in the nation. In Dubai, we were in the middle of a desert, and it rained for five days straight. One thing I don't like about horse racing is sometimes it's just too much luck," Fawkes said with a laugh. "The kid [Buick] said he was looking for a turn, but I think he was looking for a good spot to run. What they call good [going] and what we call good are two worlds apart."

Fawkes will hope for sunshine and firm ground in June at Saratoga, something Reef Runner failed to find in his lone previous outing at the Spa, a troubled eighth in the Mahony over good ground in August 2024.

"We were at John Kimmel's yard, and it rained so hard his entire courtyard was flooded. I knew we were screwed," Fawkes said. "This time, he should be very strong as long as the weather is good. He doesn't like it soft."

Good weather and a good result would see the consistent Reef Runner (24: 8-5-5, $1,902,580) surpass $2 million in career earnings.

"He's a cool dude. He's not a real big horse, but he's easy on himself. He's doing everything right so far," said Fawkes, who sent out Sheer Drama to win the 2015 Personal Ensign (G1) at the Spa.

Reef Runner, a full brother to stakes winner Big Paradise, is out of the winning Blame mare Paradise Bay — a half-sister to dual Grade 1-winning millionaire Paradise Woods. His third dam, Uforia, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Greeley, who ran a neck second to Desert Stormer in the 1995 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Belmont Park.