BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Graded stakes-placed Comedy Town returns against Florida-bred company for the first time since breaking his maiden in February of 2021 when he goes postward in Saturday’s $75,000 Sunshine Sprint at Gulfstream Park. The 7-year-old gelding is one of three entrants trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and is among eight 4-year-olds and older bred in the Sunshine State entered for the six-furlong contest.
Comedy Town returns to Gulfstream Park after finishing third in the Grade 2 Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix won by Florida-bred Federal Judge going six furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 4, a race that snapped a streak of three consecutive wins for the grey or roan sprinter.
The winning span began in June when he wired a first condition, $25,000 optional claiming going six furlongs in the slop at Gulfstream before taking the $110,000 Smile Sprint at six furlongs there on July 6. He proved his affinity for an off track again on Aug. 24 at Gulfstream with a nearly two-length score in the mud in the seven-furlong Benny the Bull before traveling to Kentucky for the Phoenix.
Comedy Town has won six with five seconds and five thirds in 28 lifetime starts while banking $425,475. He is owned by Ten Twenty Racing and Joseph, who claimed him for $25,000 out of second-place finish in March of last year.
Labeled as the 9-5 morning line favorite, Comedy Town is by Speightstown out of Unbridled Humor, by Distorted Humor and was bred in Florida by Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Stud located in Ocala.
Drayden Van Dyke gets the return mount and they have post three.
Joseph will also saddle Classify, the second choice in the program at 5-2, and Mish at 6-1 on the morning line.
Classify comes into the Sunshine Sprint off a nearly three-length victory against first condition, $25,000 optional claimers going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 22.
That race followed three solid efforts against allowance horses in New York, starting with a second to Mariachi going six furlongs at Saratoga in August and continued with another runner-up finish, this time to Reddington going seven furlongs during the Belmont at Big A meet at Aqueduct on Sept. 21. He was then third behind winner El Grande O going six-and-a-half furlongs during the Belmont at Big A meet on Oct. 24.
By Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of Holy Angel, by Chapel Royal, Classify was bred in Florida by Adam Parker and Suzette Parker.
He has won three with seven seconds and a third from 13 career starts while banking $211,820 for owner C2 Racing Stable LLC.
Irad Ortiz Jr. takes the call from post one.
Mish also won his last race, a six-furlong contest for second level, $62,500 optional claimers on Dec. 15 at Gulfstream.
The 8-year-old veteran has won 10 of 33 career starts with seven seconds and five third and $568,267 in lifetime earnings. Also earned by C2 Racing Stable LLC, Mish is by Field Commission out of Wicked Great, by Greatness and was bred in Florida by Joyce Mary Kielty.
Tyler Gaffalione will ride from post six.
Rounding out the field are Banded Rocket with jockey Leonel Reyes, Loco Abarrio with Dylan Davis named to ride, Pure Class with Joe Bravo up, Damon’s Mound and rider Junior Alvarado and Emisael Jaramillo rides Gatsby.
