BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Steven Friedfertig and Shining Stables’ Langvad graduates to stakes company out of a maiden special weight score when the Florida-bred colt goes in Saturday’s $125,000 Inaugural at Tampa Bay downs Saturday. Seven 2-year-olds are entered in the six-furlong Inaugural.
As the lone Florida-bred entrant, Langvand runs for the $25,000 portion of the purse reserved for Florida-bred contenders, part of Tampa Bay Downs’ enhanced Florida-bred program. Record Florida-bred allocations enabled by 2025 state legislation include $1.5 million at Tampa Bay Downs and $6 million at Gulfstream Park. The industry awaits Gulfstream Park’s implementation plan for its allocation.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who also saddles probable favorite Solitude Dude, Langvad won a seven-furlong maiden special weight for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park on Nov. 8 in his second start. In his first race, Langvad was second over a good track in a five-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream on Oct. 11.
Bred in Florida by John B. Penn, Langvad is by Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew out of Malibu Melody, by Malibu Moon and is a half-brother to Dickens, a son of Adios Charlie who was third in the 2023 Sanford (G3) and second to Bentornato in the 2023 Dr. Fager, the first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes.
An earner of $36,200 in his two starts, Langvad was a $23,000 purchase by Joseph at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales 2024 October Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Sue Vacek.
Samuel Marin has the call on Langvad from post two.
Stablemate Solitude Dude was a nine-and-a-half-length winner of his only race, a six-and-a-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream on Nov. 1.
Owned by Chris Fountoukis, Solitude Dude is a dark bay or brown son of first crop sire Yaupon out of the Into Mischief mare After the Park, a half-sister to stakes-winner Green Destiny and stakes-placed Owen’s Leap. Joseph purchased the Solitude Dude for $300,000 out of the OBS June Sale of 2-year-olds in trainings.
Jockey Edgard Zayas will ship in from Gulfstream to ride and Solitude Dude has the outside post seven.
The field also includes Max Capacity with Pablo Morales taking the riding chores, Daniel Centeno will be aboard Thunder Chuck, Super Kick with jockey Jesus Castanon, Cipriano Gil will guide Go Simple and Wesley Ho rides Undertaker.
Return to the December 4 issue of Wire to Wire
