Wicked Strong, Honor Code Eye GP 'Cap
Ten graded stakes winners, including multiple Grade 1 winners Constitution, Private Zone and Shared Belief, are among the 26 horses nominated to the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2), to be run for the 71st time on Saturday, March 7.
The one-mile race for older dirt horses and up is also expected to mark the return of Grade 1 winner Wicked Strong and Grade 2 winner Honor Code, each making their 4-year-old debuts.
First in the Wood Memorial (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2) and second by a nose to stablemate V. E. Day in the Travers (G1), Wicked Strong has not raced since clipping heels and losing rider Rajiv Maragh in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) on September 27 at Belmont Park. Wicked Strong spent part of his Wednesday afternoon schooling in Gulfstream's walking ring.
“We wanted to bring him over and try to keep him from getting too nervous when he runs,” Jerkens said. “I didn’t really want to wait much longer than this to get him started. It probably isn’t ideal, a flat mile against horses that have been running in tip-top shape. It’s a good spot to get him in and set him up for the rest of the year.”
Honor Code was one of the leading Triple Crown contenders off a win in the Remsen (G2) and second in the Champagne (G1) at 2, but was injured after finishing second in a Gulfstream Park allowance last March. He returned from an 8 ½-month layoff to capture a November 22 allowance at Aqueduct.
Injured shortly after winning the Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) last March, Constitution has raced three times since his return including a victory in the February 7 Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream.
The champion 2-year-old colt of 2013, California-based Shared Belief has been first or second in nine of his 10 lifetime starts including victories in the CashCall Futurity (G1), Pacific Classic (G1), Awesome Again (G1) and Malibu (G1), and most recently defeated 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome in the San Antonio (G2) Invitational on February 7 as a prep for the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) on March 7.
Trained by Jorge Navarro for Good Friends Stable, Private Zone won back-to-back editions of the Vosburgh (G1) in 2013 and 2014 and ended last year with a five-length victory in the Cigar Mile (G1) at Aqueduct, four weeks after running third by less than two lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
Valid has won four times with two seconds in eight career starts at Gulfstream Park, including a hard-fought neck victory in the one-mile Fred Hooper (G3) on February 7. The 5-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding captured the Monmouth Cup (G2) last summer for Crossed Sabres Farm and trainer Marcus Vitali.
Ontario-bred Coltimus Prime won the Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of Canada’s Triple Crown, last July on dirt at Fort Erie. The Milwaukee Brew colt ended his sophomore season finishing seventh by just three lengths in the Fayette (G2) last October at Keeneland.
Also among the nominees are Grade 2 winner East Hall; Grade 3 winners Ami’s Holiday, Protonico and Vinceremos; Claiming Crown Jewel winner Catholic Cowboy; Sunshine Millions Classic winner Sr. Quisqueyano and stakes winners Decisive Moment and Elnaawi.
Source: Gulfstream Park