BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Orlyana Farm’s Great Venezuela and jockey Leonel Reyes will be reunited for Saturday’s $75,000 Golden Beach overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park, where they have enjoyed enviable success together in the past.
Florida-breds make up six of the eight fillies and mares entered in the Golden Beach, set for five furlongs on the turf.
Dating back to October 7, 2023, when Great Venezuela graduated under Reyes in her second career start, horse and jockey have teamed for eight victories and have never finished off the board in 13 consecutive races, all on turf or synthetic.
Reyes, who was sidelined after sustaining an open left ankle fracture in a racing mishap November 2, returned to action at Gulfstream Thursday in pursuit of his 1,000th North American victory. The two-time Venezuelan national champion was just three wins away from the milestone starting with Thursday’s action.
“He’s a very good jockey,” trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said. “I’m glad he will ride my filly in this race.”
Great Venezuela is listed at 7-2 on the morning line and breakes from post three.
Barboza, a two-time training champion in Venezuela before venturing to the U.S. in 2015, is scheduled to saddle Great Venezuela, as well as Vicente Stella Stables LLC’s Le Amazonia, for the Golden Beach.
Great Venezuela won once in three starts since Reyes last rode her for a second-place finish in the $100,000 Incredible Revenge on August 3 at Monmouth Park. The 5-year-old daughter of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ mainstay stallion Neolithic finished fourth in traffic in the $201,000 Senator Ken Maddy won by fellow Florida-bred Queen Maxima on October 31 at Del Mar before capturing the November 30 Islamorada overnight handicap at Gulfstream by two-and-a-half lengths. Coming off a three-and-a-half-month layoff on March 14, she was slow to break in the $100,000 Captiva Island at Gulfstream, finishing fifth, three-lengths off winner Twirling Queen.
“She’s in 100 percent condition for this race,” Barboza said. “The last race she was not in a good position from the start.”
Le Amazonia, first or second in nine of 12 career starts, is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Captiva Island, a quarter of a length behind Great Venezuela. The 4-year-old daughter of Practical Joke finished second behind Great Venezuela in the Islamorada Handicap before capturing an second condition, $62,500 optional claiming and finishing second in the $125,000 Ladies’ Turf Sprint at Gulfstream on February 7.
“I like her post position on the outside,” said Barboza, expressing his approval of Le Amazona’s post eight. “She is a good filly. She finished second to Great Venezuela [in the Islamorada Handicap].
Samy Camacho, who was aboard Le Amazonia’s runner-up finish in the Islamorada Handicap, returns for the Golden Beach Handicap.
Great Venezuela and Le Amazonia at 5-2 in the program, are rated third and second, respectively on the morning line behind favored Creed’s Gold at 9-5.
Kristin Meldahl’s Creed’s Gold, who came off a layoff of nearly eight months to capture the five-furlong $100,000 Lightning City on February 14 going five furlongs over Tampa Bay Downs’ turf course, has been assigned highweight of 124 pounds, three more than Great Venezuela. Trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, the 5-year-old daughter of Jimmy Creed had captured the six-and-a-half-furlongs Hendrie Stakes (G3) on synthetic at Woodbine before going on her extended break.
Sonny Leon, who rode Rich Strike to an 80-1 upset victory in the 2022 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), has the return call on Creed’s Gold.
Ralph Murray and Calstar Farm Inc.’s Florida-bred Miss Vyvyanne will seek her fourth victory in a row in the Golden Beach Handicap while carrying 121 pounds.
The 6-year-old daughter of Rainbow Heir, who was claimed for $32,000 at Woodbine last June, finished fifth in her debut for trainer Gail Cox before concluding her 2025 campaign with back-to-back optional claiming scores at five furlongs on turf. Following a five-month break, Miss Vyvyanne rolled to a front-running, two-and-three-quarters-lengths victory in a second tier, $125,000 optional claiming on the all-weather course on March 14 at Gulfstream.
Pietro Moran, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice for 2025 who has been aboard for all three of Miss Vyvyanne’s victories, returns to Gulfstream for the Golden Beach Handicap.
JC Racing Stable’s Florida-bred Demar’s Legacy, who set the pace before finishing third behind Creed’s Gold at Tampa Bay Downs; trainer Rohan Crichton, Dennis Smith and Daniel Walters’ Florida-bred Cart Girl Sam and Bruno Schickedanz’s Florida-bred Breezero, who finished second and third, respectively, behind Miss Vyvyanne March 14; and Melondee Bryn McInnish’s Florida-bred Tree C’s Kai, sixth behind Miss Vyvyanne in her last start; round out the field.
Return to the April 9 issue of Wire to Wire
