BY BROCK SHERIDAN

A winner of three of his last four including the $96,000 English Channel last out, Bolero Bay leads six Florida-breds into Saturday’s $100,000 Not Surprising Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Set for a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the turf, the Not Surprising will have ten 3-year-olds line up with the Michael Yates-trained Bolero Bay drawing the outside post as the 4-1 second choice on the morning line.

Bolero Bay won by seven lengths against $25,000 maiden claimers in his third start going seven-and-a-half furlongs on the Guflstream grass in January and has only one loss since—when fifth in a $35,000 optional claiming starter allowance at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass on February 12. He returned with a dominant victory under the same conditions on April 9, winning by four-and-a-half lengths going a mile-and-70-yards on the Gulfstream synthetic before taking the English Channel at a mile on the Gulfstream Park grass on May 2.

 

Bolero Bay has earned $102,170 for owner Mast Thoroughbreds LLC with his record of three wins in six starts. He was a $15,000 purchase by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock as agent at the 2024 Ocala Breeders’ Sale Winter Mixed Sale where he was consigned by Colin Brennan Bloodstock.

Bolero Bay is by Basin out of Essence of Audre, by Exchange Rate and was bred in Florida by Larry Alan Wynn.

Miguel Vasquez will ride Bolero Bay.

Florida-bred Nickel C looks for his first win since taking a $50,000 maiden optional claiming going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the Gulfstream Park turf on January 26. 

Trained by David Fawkes, Nickel C was next fourth, just two-and-a-half lengths off winner Ababajoni in a first level allowance race for Florida-breds on March 6. He then lost again to that rival in a first level, $75,000 optional claiming against open company on April 16. Both of his last two races were at a mile on the Gulfstream Park turf.

Nickel C is one for seven in his career with three thirds while earning $52,500 for owner Monarch Stables. He was a $60,000 purchase by Oracle Bloodstock as agent for Frank Bertolino at the 2025 OBS Spring Sale where he was consigned by Tom McCrocklin.

The bay gelding is by Liam’s Map out of Clairvoyant Lady, by Astrology and was bred in Florida by JDT Racing.

Edwin Gonzalez takes the call on Nickel C, who has post one and is 9-2 in the program.

Florida-bred Timshel looks for his third straight trip to the winner’s circle in his fourth start for trainer Kathleen O’Connell. After winning a one mile, $32,000 maiden claiming on the turf at Tampa Bay Downs on April 12, he took a $35,000 starter allowance with a $50,000 optional claiming price going a mile on the Gulfstream grass in his last race on May 1.

A homebred for Dr. Tiffany Atterberry and Scott Brown, Timshel is a gelded son of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic out of Rockandrollqueen, by Deputy Commander with earnings of $42,975 from three starts.

Micah Husbands rides Timshel from post two and they are 12-1 on the morning line.

Also at 12-1 in the program is Florida-bred Chicken Dance, who won a first level allowance going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream in his last start for trainer Fernando Abreu and owner Paterpop Racing LLC.

Another gelded son of Neolithic, Chicken Dance has won four of six career starts with a third while banking $108,550. This will be his second start against stakes company having finished fourth in the $110,000 Lambholm South Sophomore Turf versus Florida-breds over a mile-and-sixteenth at Tampa Bay Downs two starts back on March 29. He defeated Florida-bred, first condition allowance horses going a mile on the Gulfstream turf most recently on April 24.

Chicken Dance was bred in Florida by Tom McCrocklin and is out of the Graeme Hall mare Gator Hall.

Diego Herrera rides Chicken Dance from post five.

Florida-bred Justin Smiles is 15-1 on the morning line after finishing third behind Timshel last out on May 1. Bred in Florida by David L. Rousso, Justin Smiles is now owned by Rousso in partnership with Lindsay Rousso.

By The Big Beast out of Oasis at Midnight, by Midnight Lute, Justin Smiles has won two of 11 career starts with earnings of $74,670.

Joe Bravo takes the reins on Justin Smiles from post six.

Florida-bred Move Jesse Move was eighth in the Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs but has since scored in a first level, $75,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-40-yards on the Tampa Bay main track on April 11.

Move Jesse Move has won half of his four career starts for trainer Lester Barbazon III and owner Diane Amendolara while earning $58,320. He is by Jess’s Dream out of Move Over Now, by Mucho Macho Man and was bred in Florida by Wimborne Farm.

Keith Asmussen gets the mount on Move Jesse Move from post nine and they are 20-1 on the morning line.

Completing the field is 3-1 favorite Behold the King and jockey Samy Camacho, Knoty Knicks with Jonathan Ocasio up, Khon Han has Leonel Reyes named to ride and Rajiv Maragh has the assignment on Moonstrocity.

Return to the June 5 issue of Wire to Wire