Spirit Wind comes back running in Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream

Off since May, Spirit Wind came back running in Saturday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Sugar Swirl at Gulfstream Park, earning graded-stakes credentials with a front-running victory.

The 41st running of the Sugar Swirl, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, and the $125,000 Mr. Prospector (G3), a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, co-headlined Saturday’s program, supported by the $125,000 Tropical Park Oaks and the $125,000 Tropical Park Derby.

Spirit Wind, who had demonstrated dazzling speed while winning four of her previous seven starts, ran to form Saturday, jumping to a clear early lead and setting fractions of 22.23 and 45.30 seconds under Jose Ortiz while well clear of the field for the first half-mile. The Carlos David-trained 4-year-old daughter of Bahamian Squall began to shorten stride in midstretch but held on gamely to finish a half-length ahead of runner-up Intrepid Daydream.

Spirit Wind ($8.40) ran six furlongs in 1:10.58 to deny the late stretch-bid by Intrepid Daydream, who finished a neck ahead of third-place finisher Olivia Darling.

The Jacks or Better Farm homebred was a multiple-stakes winner who finished second behind Ce Ce in the Princess Rooney (G2) during her 3-year-old season. She won an allowance in her 2023 debut at Gulfstream last March and finished fourth in the May 29 Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill Downs before going to the sidelines.

Spirit Wind was transferred to David’s Palm Meadows-based stable approximately a month again and entered the Sugar Swirl off one workout.

“I wanted to give her one more work, but we had the bad weather,” David said. “I told Jose, ‘She might need the race. There’s a lot of speed. Just break good. If some of the others go to the lead, just sit.’ She grabbed the lead and as soon as she got the lead, she relaxed a little bit.”

David said he’d look for another graded-stakes opportunity for Spirit Wind during the Championship Meet.