BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Last out optional claiming-winner Roswell was quickest from the gate but Florida-bred R Disaster took over in an instant and never relinquished the lead on her way to an imposing victory in the Grade 3, $167,500 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park Saturday. In her first start since finishing a head shy of winner Hillerito in the $287,500 Dream Supreme (Listed) at Churchill Downs in November, R Disaster won easily against seven other fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older going six-and-a-half furlongs.
“She was very impressive because I didn’t think she was 100 percent fit,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “She only had four works, but she does run well fresh. This was the first time we gave her a real break, so I was concerned about her fitness.”
Ridden for the first time by Micah Husbands, R Disaster was a length-and-a-quarter in front after a sixteenth of a mile before Lynn’s Milky Way advanced on the rail to get even after a quarter mile in :22.36. With little urging from Husbands, R Disaster disposed of Lynn’s Milky Way past the three-eighths pole and was quickly a length-and-a-half clear turning for home after a :44.86 half mile.
R Disaster cruised home to win by five-and-a-half lengths in 1:16.28 on the fast track as Sterling Silver advanced from fifth to get second. Beyond Belief was a neck farther back in third followed by Lynn’s Milky Way, Roswell, Indy Bay, Luvumorgan and Andrea. Taliesin was scratched.
“She broke well and I didn’t take anything away from her. I just sat there and she did everything easy. That was just her, all her,” Husbands said. “She came back really good after her last race off the layoff and I’m so happy with the way she ran. She did it so easy today.”
The Florida-bred champion older mare and champion female turf sprinter of 2025, R Disaster paid $3.80 to win as the 4-5 favorite.
It was her third win in four races having won an upper level, $100,000 optional claiming in the slop at Saratoga Race Course in August and the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom by three-and-a-half lengths during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct on September 27.
R Distaster added to her stellar record as she has now won eight of her 14 lifetime races with six seconds and earnings of $820,890. Her other two wins last year came in a first condition, $25,000 optional claiming in January at Gulfstream and a six-and-half-length romp in the $96,000 Rehoboth at Delaware Park. She was second to fellow Florida-bred Nic’s Style in last year’s Hurricane Bertie, a neck shy of Haulin Ice in the Grade 3 Vagrancy during the Belmont at Big A meet in May and a half-length off Florida-bred Halina’s Forte in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss in the slop at Saratoga.
She is owned by Rick Averill of Bradenton, Florida, who races in the name of Averill Racing; Jayson Werth’s Two Eight Racing, also of Bradenton; and Anthony Mattera’s ATM Racing based in Palm City, Florida.
R Disaster is by Ocala Stud’s Awesome Slew out of Making Havoc, by Gottcha Gold, who has one other winner from two starters and five foals. Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud and J. Michael O’Farrell Jr., R Disaster has an unnamed 2-year-old half-sister by Ocala Stud’s Colonel Liam that sells as Hip 133 out of the Ocala Stud consignment at next week’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale. Hip 133 is eligible for the new $1 million Florida Sire Racing Incentives that will pay $25,000 to any eligible 2-year-old that wins a maiden special weight, allowance, allowance optional claiming or stakes at Gulfstream or Tampa Bay Downs in 2026.
Making Havoc is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed, stakes-winning Florida-bred R Adios Jersey, who also raced for Averill Racing, Jayson Werth and ATM Racing. Making Havoc has a weanling colt by Colonel Liam and goes back at least four more generations of Ocala Stud mares to the 1973 mare Royal Ties, by Distinctive.
R Disaster is the sixth Florida-bred winner of the Hurricane Bertie joining Nic’s Style last year, Golden Mystery in 2013, R Holiday Mood (2012), House Party (2004) and Swept Away (2001).
Return to the March 7 issue of Wire to Wire
