BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Journeyman Stud freshman sire St Patrick’s Day was represented by his first winner in his first starter Friday at Gulfstream Park as BC Racing LLC’s Jive took a $65,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. The purse includes a $5,000 bonus for FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes eligible runners presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Trained by Juan Alvarado and ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, Jive broke to the inside from post three as Paisan got off to a fast start from post four before Jigsaw sprinted to the front in the initial going.

Jigsaw was a length in front of Paisan as they passed the half-mile marker when Jive showed a quick burst of speed to race just off the right hip of Jigsaw around the turn as the juveniles finished the first quarter-mile in :23.30.

Jigsaw and Jive went past the quarter-pole in tandem but the latter took a narrow lead into the stretch while three-wide with Paisan returning to the fray with an inside trip.

Paisan tried to get by Jive with a courageous run down the stretch but Jive kept the advantage to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:00.20. Paisan was second with Jigsaw making a late run to finish just a neck farther back in third. They were followed, in order, by Dontbesoogrouchy, Z Races and Echo Lane. Saint No More was scratched.

Jive paid $7.60 to win.

Jive is out of the Sky Mesa mare Skylarbdancing and was bred in Florida by Jennifer A. Johnson and Gillian K. Johnson. Jive earned $43,000 for the victory and is eligible for the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series of races to be run later this year at Gulfstream Park.

Jive is a graduate of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where Brian Cohen purchased the bay colt for $23,000 out of Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales consignment.

By Pioneerof the Nile out of Littleprincess Emma, by Yankee Gentleman, St Patrick’s Day is a full brother to 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah and was second to Unfortunately (Ire) in the Group 3 Renaissance at Nass as a 3-year-old and third in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration won by I’m So Fancy (Ire) at the Curragh during his juvenile campaign. He stood the 2023 breeding season for $3,500.