BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Golden Kernel Racing Stable’s Yes I Am Free will be running in the $100,000 Silks Run at Gulfstream Park for the fourth consecutive year Saturday as the Florida-bred gelding is among eight 4-year-olds and older set to sprint five furlongs on the turf.
The Silks Run also offers a $20,000 FTBOA Florida-bred Top 3 bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Associations.
The 8-year-old Yes I Am Free was sixth in the 2021 version of the Silks Run before being claiming for $62,500 in his next start by trainer Laura Cazares for the current owners in April of that year.
He won the 2022 version of the Silks Run after taking the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint for the first time but after repeating in the 2023 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, he finished second to Big Invasion in last year’s running.
This year, Yes I Am Free comes into the Silks Run after finishing third to winner Smithwick Spice in the $82,000 Leinster Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 24.
Yes I Am Free has won 13 career races with six seconds and four thirds in 34 starts with earnings of $763,874. Nine of those victories have come on the Gulfstream Park grass.
By Uncaptured out of Yes It’s Valid, by Yes It’s True, Yes I Am Free was bred in Florida by Sherry R. Mansfield and Kenneth H. Davis.
He is a graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales having sold for $135,000 to Justin Casse as agent at the 2018 June Sale where he was consigned by Hawk’s Nest.
Yes I Am Free has drawn post seven and Emisael Jaramillo will be aboard. They are listed at 6-1 on the morning line.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Big Invasion is back to defend his title in the Silks Run and is the 7-5 program favorite.
The Christophe Clement-trained 5-year-old makes his 2024 debut after finishing second to Nobals in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint going five furlongs at Santa Anita on Nov. 4.
Last year the son of Declaration of War also won the Grade 2 Neartic at five furlongs on the Woodbine turf in October in his last start before the Breeders’ Cup.
Big Invasion has won eight of 15 career starts with four seconds and a third with earnings of $954,119. He is three-for-four on the Gulfstream Park turf including victory in the 2022 Texas Glitter.
Big Invasion has post two and Joel Rosario will ride.
At 9-2 on the morning line is the Dale Romans-trained Coppola, winner of the $125,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint in his last start.
Owned by Hammer Time Stable and S.O.K. Racing, the son of Into Mischief has won six of 17 career starts with a second and a third while banking $437,793.
Coppola will be ridden by Edgard Zayas from post five.
Rounding out the field are Panther Island and jockey Leonel Reyes, Rockcrest has Miguel Vasquez named to ride, Itsallcomintogetha and pilot Luca Panici, Kanthari with Paco Lopez in the saddle and Storm the Court with jockey Luis Saez.
