BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s homebred Reef Runner used his unmistakable closing kick to catch a front-running Coppola in the final strides and win the $125,000 Janus Stakes (Listed) at Gulfstream Park Saturday, setting the stakes record of :54.18 for five furlongs on the turf. It was the Florida-bred gelding’s second added-money victory in his last three starts and his first race since finishing fourth in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (Grade 1) at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Nov. 1.
Trained by David Fawkes and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, Reef Runner was the best of an outstanding field of eight turf sprinters, 3-years-old and older.
Coppola, winner of the 2024 Janus when Reef Runner finished third, shot out of post four to immediately take a clear lead on Florida-breds Asher’s Edge on the rail and And Uwish breaking from post eight. Reef Runner and Gaffalione were in no rush early, settling three-and-a-half lengths back in sixth. Coppola raced unchallenged through splits of :20.96 and :42.63, heading into the stretch, a length-and-a-quarter in front of Asher’s Edge on the inside and And Uwish outside with Reef Runner still four lengths back after beginning to make up ground in the turn.
Reef Runner accelerated into high gear on the far outside with less than a furlong to the finish and went by Coppola in the last 75 yards to win by a length. And Uwish was second, a half-length faster than Coppola in third. Asher’s Edge, Boat’s a Rockin, Litigation, Florida-bred Full Disclosure and Whenigettoheaven completed the order of finish. Spiced Up was scratched.
“I got a little nervous when it looked like Coppola got a comfortable lead, but he’s been off a while,” Fawkes said. “[Reef Runner] ran his race. I think the middle fractions might have helped. They went 42 [seconds] in the middle. He’s got a strong kick when he’s ridden right.”
Reef Runner paid $5.60 to win as the 9-5 second choice behind 7-5 favorite Coppola.
Winner of the $95,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream in September of 2024, 4-year-old Reef Runner was winless in his first four starts this year—although he was just a nose shy of winner Eamonn when second in the $107,000 Silks Run at Gulfstream in March. He was also third three times at Gulfstream in the $157,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, the $70,000 Go Cats Go overnight handicap in April and an allowance race on May 1.
Fawkes then gelded Reef Runner and gave him three months off, bringing him back to win the $70,000 Warrior’s Pride overnight handicap at Gulfstream on Aug. 3. Reef Runner then ventured to Southern California where he crossed the finish first ahead of odd-on favorite Motorious (GB) in the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap, but as disqualified and place second for interference early in the race. Reef Runner came back strong to take the Grade 2 Eddie D on the downhill course at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 before returning to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup.
Reef Runner has now won seven of 22 career starts with five seconds and five thirds and the $75,175 first-place check for winning the Janus increased his lifetime revenues to $627,580.
By The Big Beast, Reef Runner is the only stakes-winner for the winning Blame mare Paradise Bay, who the Lieblong’s purchased as a yearling for $350,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Paradise Bay has three winners from four starters and five foals. She has an unnamed weanling filly by Authentic and was bred to Life Is Good in 2025. The Lieblong’s purchased Paradise Bay as a yearling for $350,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
The victory breaks a three-way tie for first and pushes Reef Runner to the top ahead of Bring Theband Home and Tank in the Male Turf Horse category on the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association Chase to the Championship leaderboard.
Reef Runner is the 81st Florida-bred winner of an open stakes in 2025 and the third Florida-bred winner in 10 runnings of the Janus. Imprimis won in 2021 and Extravagant Kid to the 2019 edition.
Return to the December 20 issue of Wire to Wire
