BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Gabaldon will look for international acclaim Wednesday when the Florida-bred colt takes on 27 juvenile rivals in the US$139,000 Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot. The Windsor Castle will be run at five furlongs on the straight turf course with post time scheduled at 1:15 p.m. EDT.
Owned by Alfonso Soued’s Soldi Stable LLC based in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Gabaldon earned a fees-paid berth into any Royal Ascot race for 2-year-olds plus a $25,000 travel stipend with his victory in the Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream Park on May 11. The son of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Gone Astray showed quickness from the start in his career debut, leading at every pole going five furlongs on the turf to win by length-and-a-quarter at odds of 16-1 with Emisael Jaramillo aboard.
Jaramillo will again ride Gabaldon in the Windsor Castle. They are number 11 in the program and are listed at 10-1 on the morning line.
“[Gabaldon] is doing great and is training great,” trainer Jose D’Angelo told Wire to Wire from Great Britain Tuesday. “He can win this race.”
Out of the Value Plus mare Valuable Miss, Gabaldon was bred in Florida by Carol Ann Reitman, Susan Gannon and Warren Miller.
Soued purchased Gabaldon with the intention of running him in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale. However, those plans quickly changed with the victory in the Royal Palm Juvenile and the Royal Ascot invite.
He selected the gray or roan colt out of the Get Away Farm consignment and paid $9,000. Gabaldon has earned a field-high $57,500, including a $10,000 FTBOA Top 3 Bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, with his victory in the Royal Palm Juvenile.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien will saddle three for the Windsor Castle including 4-1 morning line favorite Treasure Isle (Ire).
Treasure Isle makes his third career start Wednesday after winning a US$43,500 allowance race by a half-length going five furlongs on the turf at Naas in Ireland on May 19 in his second start.
Treasure Isle is owned by Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor and has earned US$30,128 while also finishing second in his debut at Curragh on April 21.
Treasure Isle is by No Nay Never out of Newton’s Night (Ire), by Galileo and Ryan Moore gets the return mount. Moore and O’Brien have won the Windsor Castle three times with Little Big Bear in 2022, Southern Hill (2019) and Washington DC (2015).
O’Brien also trains 6-1 morning line choice Celtic Chieftain (Ire), winner of a US$19,400 maiden race at Navan in Ireland in his only start. Celtic Chieftain is by No Nay Never out of Southern Belle (Ire), by Aqlaam (GB).
Wayne Lordan will ride Celtic Chieftan.
Two other contenders from America are entered in Cheval de Guerre for trainer Eddie Kenneally and the Westly Ward-trained Honorary American (Ire).
Cheval de Guerre, a son of Caravaggio out of Champagne Diet, by Declaration of War, was second to Into Diamonds in a five-furlong maiden special weight on the turf at Keeneland on April 25 in his only start.
An earner of $14,600, he is owned by Resolute Racing and will be ridden by Oisin Murphy.
Honorary American exits a third-place finish behind winner SoontobeKing in a maiden special weight taken of the turf and run a five-and-a-half furlongs during the Belmont at Big A meet on May 24.
The bay colt with earnings of $10,800 is by Churchill (Ire) out of Heartlines, by Bernardini.
Joel Rosario will ride and they are 15-1 in the program.
The remained of the field includes Shadow Army with jockey James Doyle, Pont Neuf and rider Charles Bishop, Hawaiian will be ridden by Sean Levey, Aint’s Nobody has Jamie Spencer taking the riding assignment, Sex on Fire with Tom Marquand up, Sir Yoshi and jockey Luke McAteer, Artagnan will have Willaim Buick in the saddle, Vingegaard with Hollie Doyle aboard, Aviation Time will be ridden by Daniel Tudhope, Brosay will carry Gavin Ryan, Joe Fanning rides Zabeel Road, Reposado and jockey David Egan, End of Story has Kevin Stott taking the assignment, Rock N Roll Rocket and rider Shane Foley, Rudi’s Apple with Dylan Browne in the irons, Rossa Ryan rides Karl Carlston, Calyxoh with jockey Billy Loughnane, Weissmuller will be ridden by Luke Morris, CFallum Sheppard is named to ride Fuji Mountain, Jm Jhingree with Jason Hart aboard, Abrabian Cobra has David Probert taking the call, Silvestre De Sousa rides Bretton Wood and Rhys Clutterbuck will be aboard Senorium.
