BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL –Turf racing will resume Friday at Gulfstream Park following a break during the month of July.

A five-furlong maiden special weight event for 2-year-old fillies in the second race will be the first of three turf races on a nine-race program. The eight-horse field includes several, well-bred, well-connected first-time starters, including Florida-bred Divine Secrets and Will to Thrill from the barn of Hall of Famer Mark Casse. 

Divine Secrets, from the first crop of sire Charlatan, is out of Gospel Girl, whose eight offspring that have raced are all winners, including $870,000 earner Happy Farm. Will to Thrill is a daughter of War of Will, whom Casse saddled for victories in the 2019 Preakness (Grade 1) and 2020 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1).

In Friday’s Race 8 feature, a mile optional claiming allowance for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and only on turf, Joe Orseno-trained Sticky McShnickens seeks to return to winning form following a pair of runner-up finishes. A field of evenly matched fillies and mares has been assembled for Race 5, a $17,500 claimer set for a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf.

Turf stakes action returns Saturday with the running of the $75,000 Bear’s Den, a mile stakes that drew a deep field of nine 3-year-olds.

Jose D’Angelo-trained Iron Hand, a Florida-bred colt who has won four straight since trying synthetic, is slated to make his turf debut. Patrick Biancone-trained Layabout, who broke his maiden on synthetic before coming right back to win on turf, will make a bid for three in a row. Trainer Ronald Spatz has entered Florida-bred Win With Faith, second this year in both the $80,000 English Channel won by Florida-bred Tank at Gulfstream in May, and in the $110,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf, also taken by Tank, at Tampa Bay Downs in March.

The Bear’s Den will be one of four turf races on Saturday’s 11-race program.

Return to the July 29 issue of Wire to Wire