Splash Rules victorious in Groomstick Handicap

Douglas Gibson’s Splash Rules ($15.40) stalked a swift pace before making a sustained stretch drive that carried the son of Pomeroy to a half-length victory over 3-5 favorite Richard the Great in Sunday’s $50,000 Groomstick Handicap.

Trained by John Vinson, the 4-year-old gelding took good advantage of the seven pounds conceded to him by the favorite and 123-pound high weight in the six-furlong overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up. Third along the backstretch and far turn while racing outside pacesetter Coronado Again and pressed by Richard the Great, Splash Rules kicked in leaving the turn into the homestretch to steadily wear down the favorite and jockey Emisael Jaramillo.

“I was expecting him to run big,” Vinson said. “I didn’t know if he could beat that horse [Richard the Great], but I thought he’d run big. He’s been training great.”

Ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Splash Rules ran six furlongs in 1:09.08 after chasing fractions of 22.29 (seconds), 44.75 and 56.58. Richard the Great, a brilliant7 ½-length winner of the Trinniberg Handicap Aug. 12, finished, a head in front of a game Coronado Again.

Anne B. Scott’s Galleon Mast is scheduled to seek his second straight victory at Gulfstream Park in Monday’s $50,000 The Vid Handicap. The David Fawkes-trained 4-year-old gelding, the 7-5 morning-line favorite, is slated to carry high weight of 122 pounds in a field of seven in the 1 1/16-mile overnight turf handicap.

The steady-running son of Mizzen Mast captured the Eight Miles East Handicap on Aug, 6 under leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione, who has the return mount Monday.

Fawkes will also be represented by Domino Enterprises’ Blue Harbor, a recent optional claiming allowance winner who has been highly competitive with his stablemate when they’ve clashed on several occasions the past two years. Miguel Vasquez has the mount aboard the 5-year-old gelded son of Rockport Harbor.