EDITED GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS RELEASE

Trainer David Fawkes has returned to his homebase at Gulfstream Park from his successful journey to Saudi Arabia, where he saddled Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Reef Runner for a victory on Feb 21 in the Grade 2 $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint. 

“He’s in Dubai right now,” Fawkes said.

The Lieblongs’ homebred 5-year-old gelding is scheduled to race next in the $1.5 million Grade 1 Al Quoz Turf Sprint on the undercard of the March 28 Grade 1 Dubai World Cup.

“I’m going to try to go back to work him twice there before the race,” Fawkes said.

Reef Runner defeated Group 1 winner Lazzat by a neck under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the 1351 Turf Sprint.

“He did everything right from the day he got there. When he got there he got better and better,” Fawkes said.

After winning the 2024 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream, Reef Runner put together a string of seven straight in-the-money finishes without a victory, prompting his connections to decide to geld the son of The Big Beast. Freshly gelded Reef Runner won an Aug. 3 overnight handicap at Gulfstream off a two-month layoff and went on to finish first in the Grade 3 Green Flash at Del Mar, only to be disqualified and placed second, and win the Grade 2 Eddie D. at Santa Anita. He finished fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar before closing out his 2025 campaign with a victory in the Janus at Gulfstream before shipping to the Middle East.

“Before I gelded him, he was a horse. When he won his first race after gelding him, I told Mr. Lieblong, ‘We’re going to California and run in the ‘Win & You’re In.’ He won, but they disqualified him. We stayed and won the Eddie D. Then we ran in the Breeders’ Cup,” Fawkes said.

Return to the February 21 issue of Wire to Wire