BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Dropping down from Grade 1 company, Amy Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Classic of Course figures to be on firmer footing in Saturday’s $75,000 Not Surprising at Gulfstream Park.

At least, that’s what Biancone is hoping.

Classic of Course, who finished far back in the May 3 American Turf (G1) over a less-than-firm turf course at Churchill Downs, has been installed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite in the mile-and-a-sixteenth turf stakes for 3-year-olds that will co-headline Saturday’s 10-race program with the $75,000 Martha Washington, for sophomore fillies at the same distance.

“He’s training good. I’m very happy with him,” Biancone said. “In his last race, he ran on soft ground, and he hates that. You can see it in his action.”

Classic of Course earned a shot in the American Turf with a rallying victory in the $158,000 Cutler Bay at Gulfstream Park on March 29 in his first start on turf.

 

Prior to breaking through with his first stakes success in the Cutler Bay, Classic of Course was multiple stakes-placed on dirt.

“It was two things: he likes turf, and he has matured,” Biancone said. “Last year, he was a baby. This year he’s no longer a child. He’s more mature.”

Classic of Course is by Awesome of Course out of Alma Mater, by Honor Code and was bred in Florida by Amy E. and Ciaran G. Dunne. He has a career record of two wins, three seconds and three thirds from 11 starts with earnings of $303,653.

Jonathan Ocasio has the call on Classic of Course and they will break from post eight.

Arindel’s Tank, who is rated second at 5-2 on the morning line, will seek his third straight stakes victory in the Not Surprising. The Carlos David-trained son of Ocala Stud’s Adios Charlie followed up a win over Florida-breds in the $110,000 Equistaff Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs with a triumph in the mile $80,000 English Channel May 3 at Gulfstream.

 

Emisael Jaramillo, who guided Arindel’s Mythical to a front-running victory in Thursday’s Tremont at Saratoga, returns to South Florida to ride Tank from post three in the Not Surprising.

e Five Racing Thoroughbreds’ Nemo, who was beaten by length-and-a-quarter while finishing fourth in the English Channel, is rated third at 9-2 on the Not Surprising morning line.

The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained son of Into Mischief had previously rallied from far back to win a maiden special weight on debut at a mile on turf March 30. Joseph will also be represented in the Not Surprising by Ken Ramsey’s Back in the Saddle, a son of Oscar Performance who graduated in a $50,000 maiden claimer by five-and-a-half lengths last time out.

Wilfred Vasquez is slated to ride Nemo for the first time Saturday, while Edgard Zayas has the return call on Back in the Saddle. Nemo has drawn post four while Back in the Saddle will break from post two.

Gary Barber’s Florida-bred Bluff is scheduled to seek his third straight victory while making his stakes debut in the Not Surprising. The son of Flatter, who is trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, captured an April 27 optional claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs, four months after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream.

 

Bluff was bred in Florida by George and Karen Russell’s Rustlewood Farm.

Miguel Vasquez has the call from post nine.

Chad Stewart and Anthony Lenci’s Lastabitlonger, Cloud Nine Lumoni’s Bakers Street, and Rolling Meadows Farm’s Blue Casanova round out the field. Laura Murphy’s Win With Faith was entered but will not start.

Return to the June 6 issue of Wire to Wire