Florida-bred Reef Runner Also Set for Win And You’re In for Breeders’ Cup Sprint

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-breds Queen Maxima and Reef Runner are among an overflow field of 15 3-year-olds and older entered in Saturday’s $150,000 Green Flash Handicap (Grade 3) at Del Mar, a five-furlong turf sprint that is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series with a Win and You’re In invitation into the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1). 

The $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and older will be contested at five furlongs on the grass at Del Mar on Nov. 1.

Queen Maxima rattled off five consecutive victories earlier this year, all sprinting on the grass, before finishing sixth in the $109,000 Osunitas going a mile on the turf at Del Mar on July 20.

The Osunitas proved a difficult trip for Queen Maxima, who lacked room coming out of the far turn. It was also her first start around two turns since finishing 10th in a first level, $80,000 optional claiming going a mile on the Del Mar turf in her second career start in September of last year.

The 4-year-old daughter of Bucchero was unstoppable in her five-race win streak that included a course record performance in the Grade 3 Unbridled Sidney at Churchill Downs on May 2—a race she won by three-and-a-half lengths in 1:01.29 on a good turf. Her other stakes victories in that span including a four-and-quarter-length romp in the Grade 3 Monrovia on the downhill turf at Santa Anita in April and winning by three-and-a-half lengths in the $100,000 Wishing Well over six furlongs coming out of the turf chute at Santa Anita on Feb. 22.

 

Queen Maxima is trained by Jeff Mullins for Dutch Girl Holdings LLC and Irving Ventures LLC. With a record of six wins in 10 career starts with two seconds, Queen Maxima has earned $449,960.

Out of Corfu Lady, by Corfu Queen Maxima was bred in Florida by Saul Rosas. She is a graduate of the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale where Michael Pender as agent purchased her for $40,000 out of the Blue River Bloodstock consignment.

Queen Maxima has been assigned to carry 118 pounds and will be ridden from post 11 by Juan Hernandez. 

Reef Runner ships to Del Mar from his base at trainer David Fawkes’ barn at Gulfstream Park.

The 4-year-old gelded son of The Big Beast hopes to use a one-length victory in the $70,000 Warrior’s Pride overnight handicap at Gulfstream on Aug. 3 as a springboard to success in his first start on the west coast.

 

That has been his only win in six starts this year, all at five furlongs on the Gulfstream turf, but he counts a second and three thirds among a solid year. He was just a nose shy of catching winner Eamonn in the $115,000 Silks Run (Listed) in March and just a length behind winner Coppola when third in the $157,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (Listed) in January. He was also third to Coppola, who he will face again Saturday, in the $127,000 Janus (Listed) at Gulfstream on Dec. 21. 

Reef Runner is a homebred for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Ocala, Fla., for whom he has earned $352,405 from five wins, four seconds and five thirds in 18 career starts. He is out of Paradise Bay, by Blame.

Paco Lopez will ride Reef Runner, who has been assigned 120 pounds and will break from the outside post 12.

The 125 topweight is Anthony Fanticola’s Mororious (GB), a two-time defending champion in the Green Flash.

The 7-year-old son of Muhaarar (GB) out of Squash (GB), by Pastoral Pursuits (GB) won his only start this year, a length-and-three-quarters triumph in the Grade 3 Daytona going six-and-a-half furlongs on the downhill course at Santa Anita on June 14. 

After winning the Green Flash last year, he was second by a neck to Starlust (GB) in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 2 then won the Grade 3 Joe Hernandez on the downhill course at Santa Anita on Dec. 28. 

Motorious is trained by Phil D’Amato and will be ridden from post 10 by Antonio Fresu.

Also set for the Green Flash are Beyond Brilliant with jockey Ricardo Gonzalez, No Nay Hudson (Ire) has Kazushi Kimura taking the call, Coppola will have Vincent Cheminaud in the irons, Sorrento Sky (Ire) will have Umberto Rispoli onboard, Hector Berrios will guide Virat, Book Smart has Edwin Maldonado as his jockey, Armando Ayuso will be up on Boss Sully, Sumter with John Velazquez in the saddle and Mike Smith will ride First Peace. Wound Up, Mucho Del Oro and Re Armed Jon are on the also-eligible list.

Return to the August 29 issue of Wire to Wire