BY GULFTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – After spending part of the summer traveling to California, New York, Virginia and Kentucky to oversee his extensive stable, trainer Jose D’Angelo made it back to South Florida earlier this week. Part of his time will be spent preparing for the $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint Saturday with Fugget About It Racing’s 4-year-old gelding Itza Boss.
The Florida-bred son of Bridlewood Farm Stallion Valiant Minister is one of seven Florida-breds in the field of nine 3-year-olds and older who will go five furlongs on the turf.
The Umphrey will be a stiff challenge for Itza Boss, who has three wins and two seconds in five starts at the distance. Trainer Joe Orseno has entered a trio of Florida-bred runners including Robert Cotran’s consistent Rezasrolex, a winner of 15 of 23 races with earnings of $448,368; and leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will go with e Five Racing’s Thought Control, a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winner Englishman. Like Itza Boss, Thought Control will also enter off a layoff.
For D’Angelo, Itza Boss would seem to have quite a bit of potential with three wins and three seconds in eight career starts and never having been beaten by more than three-and-a-quarter lengths.
“He’s been very consistent and he’s versatile,” D’Angelo said.
But Itza Boss has had a start-and-stop career. As a 2-year-old in 2024 at Gulfstream, he raced three times in the summer—with two seconds—then took a three month break before returning in November to a score in a maiden special weight by a half-length.
In his first start as a sophomore 11 months later in October of 2025, he won a first condition, $20,000 optional claiming, defeating his Florida-bred stablemate Gabaldon, who as a 2-year-old had won the $110,000 Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream and was second in the £111,486 (US$139,000) Windsor Castle at Ascot.
He has two starts earlier this year, both in first condition, $25,000 optional claiming races going five furlongs on the grass at Gulfstream. He began 2026 with a second in January and in his last race on February 8, won by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
“We had to give him some time we felt he needed,” D’Angelo said. “He’s very good right now. We’ve been slow with him, patient. I really believe after this race he will really improve. But he’s been improving every day and I think if they duel on the lead in this race, and he’s just off leaders, he will run a big race.”
An earner of $163,750, Itza Boss is out of Leilani’s Lady, by Beau Choix and was bred in Florida by Bulldog Racing.
He will be ridden from post seven by Leonel Reyes.
Rezasrolex, a 5-year-old Florida-bred son of Bucchero, started this year winning his ninth consecutive race in a second condition, $32,000 optional claiming at Tampa Bay Downs on January 11. His impressive streak ended with two seconds in stakes, finishing just a neck behind winner My Boy Prince in the $100,000 Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs on February 14 then was second to Litigation in the Listed Silks Run on the turf at Gulfstream on March 7. Trainer Joe Orseno then took him to Keeneland where he finished off the board, again behind My Boy Prince, in the Grade 2 Shakertown on April 4.
After a short two-month break, he reeled off two victories at Gulfstream in an upper tier, $75,000 optional claiming in June and the $100,000 Pay Any Price overnight handicap in July before last out finishing eighth in the Troy (G2) at Saratoga on August 9.
Rezasrolex is out of the Indian Charlie mare Sister Charlie and was bred in Florida by Scott Hebertson of Prosper, Texas. He will have Anthony Thomas riding from post four.
Orseno has also entered Florida-breds Mattingly and Extendo.
Mattingly and jockey Juan Hernandez have drawn the rail and Edwin Gonzalez will guide Extendo from post two.
Florida-bred Esperon, trained by David Braddy, has a win, two seconds and two thirds in his last five starts sprinting at Gulfstream. Florida-bred Rouki, who hails from the barn of trainer Gerald Bennett, was the beaten 4-5 favorite on August 9, a half length behind Extendo. Rouki won at the distance and course July 25 by three-and-a-quarter lengths.
Miguel Vasquez will ride Florida-bred multiple stakes-placed Full Disclosure from post four. Rounding out the field are Sunna with Jose Morelos up and Micah Husbands will guide Thought Control from post eight.
Brock Sheridan contributed to this story.
Return to the September 10 issue of Wire to Wire
