BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Robert Cotran’s Florida-bred Rezasrolex chased a torrid pace into the stretch Sunday at Gulfstream Park before kicking in late to register career win no. 15 in the $70,000 Pay Any Price overnight handicap.
“It never gets old,” trainer Joe Orseno said following the 5-year-old gelded son of Bucchero’s length-and-a-quarter victory in the five-furlong overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and older on turf.
Rezasrolex, who was sent to post as the 1-5 favorite, was the 125-pound highweight, conceding between three and nine pounds to his four rivals.
He entered the Pay Any Price with 14 victories from 21 career starts, 11 of those wins coming from 14 starts on synthetic and the other three coming from six turf tries.
“Tapeta or turf, it doesn’t matter,” trainer Joe Orseno said.
Esperon beat the starting gate to build a lead over the favorite by open lengths while setting fractions of :20.64 and :42.62 for the first half mile. Edwin Gonzalez, who had bided his time aboard Rezasrolex, asked his mount on the turn into the homestretch and he responded to wear down the tiring pacesetter in deep stretch and draw off to earn yet another trip to the winner’s circle.
“When I saw [Esperon] open up—he’s a very fast horse and his form has been good of late—I said, ‘We’re really going to have to run to run him down,’” Orseno said. “But when I saw him kick in, I knew he’d get there.”
Rezasrolex ran five furlongs over a firm turf in :54.59. Esperon, the 5-1 second betting choice ridden by Miguel Vasquez, held second, three-and-a-quarter lengths clear of third-place finisher If Not for Luck.
Rezasrolex put together a nine-race winning streak in starter and allowance races between June 21, 2024 and Jan. 11, 2026. The impressive run began with seven straight victories on Gulfstream’s all-weather surface followed by a pair of optional claiming allowance wins on turf at Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs. The streak ended in his next start at Tampa on February 14 when he finished second, beaten by a neck by winner My Boy Prince, in the $100,000 Turf Dash Stakes. He went on to finish second next out on Gulfstream’s turf in the $105,000 Silks Run won by Litigation before finishing off-the-board while facing Grade 2 company in the April 4 Shakertown on turf at Keeneland.
He returned from a two-month freshening last out on June 5 to win an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming going five-and-a-half-furlongs on synthetic.
Rezasrolex improved his career record to 15 wins with four seconds in 22 starts and earnings of $445,368.
He is out of Sister Charlie, by Indian Charlie and was bred in Florida by Scott Herbertson of Prosper, Texas. Sister Charlie has five winners from six starters and nine foals including stakes-winning Florida-bred Mimajoon, by Fed Biz. She has an unnamed 2-year-old full-brother to Rezasrolex.
Orseno said he’d weigh his options, which include a few out-of-town turf stakes, before deciding on Rezasrolex’s next start.
Return to the July 7 issue of Wire to Wire
