Son of Gone Astray Earns Invitation to Royal Ascot and $10,000 FTBOA Florida-Bred Bonus

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Gabaldon fired an impressive debut to upset the $110,000 Royal Palm Juvenile at odds of 16-1 at Gulfstream Park Saturday, earning an invitation to one of six juvenile stakes at Great Britain’s prestigious Royal Ascot meet in June. With jockey Emisael Jaramillo aboard, Gabaldon won the five-furlong contest on turf by a length-and-a-quarter to take down the winner’s share of the $100,000 purse plus a $10,000 Top 3 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. He also banked a $25,000 equine travel stipend.

Jose D’Angelo, Bill Badgett, Emisael Jaramillo, Alfonso Soued – @Ryan Thompson Photo

Governor Sam and jockey Hector Diaz Jr. burst from post nine but were quickly joined by Gabaldon to their inside after starting from gate seven. Governor Sam and Gabaldon went at each other through a quarter-mile in :21.33 on the firm turf and battled into the turn four lengths clear of Incanto (Ire) and Garden of War, who gave chase together in third.

Governor Sam and Gabaldon continued to race noses apart before Gabaldon sling-shotted out of the bend to quickly take a two-length lead in mid-stretch. Gabaldon cruised home as Reach for the Rose rallied for second, a neck in front of Bright Skittle in third. Garden of War was just a nose father back in fourth with Incanto (Ire) close by in fifth. Governor Sam, Florida-bred I Know I Know, Classy War, Madroc, Makeit to Cheyenne and Enterdadragon completed the order of finish.

Trained by Jose D’Angelo, Gabaldon stopped the clock in :56.20 and paid $35 to win.

“The horse showed class from the first day. He’s never missed a workout,” D’Angelo said. “We were looking for a horse to run in this race. Now, we are looking for a [top] hat.”

It was a $57,500 payday for owner Alfonso Soued’s Soldi Stable LLC, who purchased Gabaldon for $9,000 at last year Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale where the gray or roan colt was consigned by Get Away Farm.

Gabaldon is by Gone Astray, who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions, and is out of the unraced Florida-bred mare Valuable Miss, by Value Plus. Bred in Florida by Carol Ann Reitman, Susan Gannon and Warren Miller, Gabaldon is the first stakes winner for Valuable Miss, who now has four-winners from four starters. She has an unnamed yearling filly by Girvin and a weanling filly by Mutasaabeq, both Florida-breds.

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