BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—Gonzalez Racing Stables’ I Love Venezuela tops three horses riding win streaks and four others exiting last-out victories that are set to line up in Friday’s feature event as the Sunshine Meet resumes at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Ronald Coy, 4-year-old I Love Venezuela chases a fourth straight win in the eighth race, a $25,000 starter allowance for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, scheduled for one mile on the turf course.
I Love Venezuela, bred in Florida by Orlyana Farm, has thrived since being stretched out around two turns this summer starting with a runner-up finish going a mile-and-70-yards July 19. The daughter of Pleasant Acres Stalllions resident Neolithic has since reeled off three consecutive victories, all at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the all-weather course where she has raced exclusively this year.
“The thing is she was okay in the shorter races, but she didn’t have enough time to concentrate. So that’s why we wanted to put her longer,” assistant trainer Tamara Matamala said. “She’s doing pretty nice. She’s feeling good and she’s sound and healthy, thank God. It’s all good.”
Out of Venezuelan Spirit, by English Channel, I Love Venezuela has four wins and five seconds from 22 career starts with earnings of $84,512, of which $65,690 has come this year from three wins and four seconds in 10 starts.
Jockey Leonel Reyes, who is 12 away from his 1,000 career wins in North America, rides I Love Venezuela from post six in a field of 10.
Both Zo Zucchera and No Mo Cookies have put together back-to-back wins. Carlo D’Amato’s Zo Zucchera has been third or better in eight of 14 career starts and races first off a $25,000 claim for trainer Jose D’Angelo out of a four-length triumph going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on Sept. 28 on the Gulfstream turf.
After going 11 starts without a win, Julian De Mora Jr.’s No Mo Cookies graduated by three-and-a-half lengths Aug. 9 and followed up with a five-and-a-half-length score Sept. 5, each at a mile-and-70-yards on synthetic. Veteran rider Jose Ferrer, up for both wins, gets the return call from outermost Post 10.
Rounding out the field are Florida-bred Burnaway with jockey Edgar Perez, Plagne Champange has Miquel Vasquez named to ride, Wesley Henry will be aboard Florida-bred Lady River Lily, Grexi’s A will carry Yolber Torres, Jonathan Ocasio will guide Smart Style, Jesus M. Rios has the assignment on Mary Marguerite and Florida-bred Celestial Express will have Jose Morelos in the irons.
Race 5 Friday is the first of two maiden special weight events on the card, for 2-year-old fillies scheduled at five furlongs on the grass. Five first-time starters are among the eight entered, including Florida-breds Lucky Win Coco and Timeforpeace, each exiting thirds in five-furlong maiden events respectively on synthetic and turf.
Notes: In addition to Reyes, jockey Rajiv Maragh is closing in on a significant career milestone sitting 10 wins away from 2,000. Maragh is a multiple Grade 1 winner who returned to riding Oct. 20, 2024 at Gulfstream after a nearly two-and-a-half-year absence… The first month of the Sunshine Meet has seen a logjam atop the jockey standings with the top seven riders separated by just six wins—Miguel Vasquez (16), Edgard Zayas (15), Emisael Jaramillo (14), Reyes (13), Jose Morelos (11), Jonathan Ocasio (10) and apprentice Yolber Torres (10)… Saffie Joseph Jr., aiming for a 14th consecutive meet title, and D’Angelo are tied with nine wins apiece among trainers.
Return to the October 9 issue of Wire to Wire
