BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—Graded stakes-winner Dean Delivers and win machine Big and Classy top a solid field of 10 older Florida-breds entered for Saturday’s $100,000 Gil Campbell Memorial Handicap, the supporting stakes to the co-featured $200,000 FSS Affirmed and $200,000 FSS Susan’s Girl, second-leg stakes in the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Florida Sire Stakes series at Gulfstream Park.
Named for the longtime FTBOA board member and past president who owned and bred 18 winners of Florida Sire Stakes races, the one-turn mile Gil Campbell also offers a $50,000 bonus presented by the FTBOA for the top three finishers eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes on a 60%-30%-10% basis.
A Stonehedge LLC homebred, Dean Delivers has won two of three stakes in his last three starts including the Grade 3 Smile Sprint by two-and-a-quarter lengths going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park on July 1. The 4-year-old son of Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze returns to Gulfstream from Saratoga Race Course where he was most recently third in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt won by Elite Power over a sloppy six furlongs on July 29. Prior to the Smile, the Michael Yates trainee won the $90,000 Big Drama by nearly four lengths against fellow Florida-breds going seven furlongs on May 20.
Second in last year’s Gil Campbell won by Clapton, Dean Delivers has won five of 17 career starts with seven seconds and two thirds with earnings of $473,060.
Dean Delivers is out of the Yes It’s True mare Slick and True and Emisael Jaramillo will ride from post seven.
The Bobby Dibona-trained Big and Classy, a 4-year-old son of The Big Beast, is coming off a commanding victory in the $65,000 Jackson Bend overnight handicap and currently ranks second in North America in races-won, one less than Wyoming-based Fayette Warrior.
Big and Classy has been no worse than second in 10 starts this year, including a runner-up finish to Dean Delivers in the Smile Sprint.
Big and Classy is out of I’mclassyandsassy, by Master Command and was bred in Florida by Alex Lieblong and JoAnn Lieblong. He has won nine with three seconds and a third from 20 lifetime races while banking $321,720.
Regular rider Leonel Reyes will be aboard Big and Classy when he departs post six.
David Bernsen LLC and Jeffrey Lambert’s Handy Dandy enters the Gil Campbell Memorial off the $80,000 claim at Del Mar on Aug. 19.
Trained by Bob Hess Jr., the 4-year-old son of Fury Kapcori finished fourth in both the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby won by Speakng Scout in December and in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby won by Cabo Spirit in September of last year.
Big Daddy Dave, Boca Boy, Khozeiress, Noble Drama, Octane, Slim Slow Slider and The Skipper Too round out the field.
— Brock Sheridan contributed to this article
