BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Saturday’s $140,000 Janus at Gulfstream Park will present a rematch between Xy Speed, Reef Runner and Yes I Am Free after the three turf sprinters completed the trifecta in a recent $75,000 optional claiming over the same course. A dozen 3-year-olds and older will go five furlongs on the turf in the Janus, which features a $15,000 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Florida-bred Yes I Am Free set the pace in the upper level optional claiming on Nov. 8 before Xy Speed and Florida-bred Reef Runner overtook him in deep stretch. Xy Speed won by a nose ahead of Reef Runner with Yes I Am Free holding on for third.
In addition avenging his last out loss, Reef Runner looks for his second stakes victory in three starts after winning the $95,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint on the Gulfstream synthetic going five furlongs on Sept. 21. The 3-year-old colt has been a five-furlong specialist throughout his 11-race career with all four of his career wins coming at the distance at Gulfstream.
He broke his maiden on synthetic in his third start in December of last year then won a first condition, $75,000 optional claiming two starts later in February. He also won an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming on the turf in July.
In eight starts this year, Reef Runner has finished out of the top two only twice. He was eighth in the $150,000 Mahony on the turf at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 11 and fourth in the $104,000 Texas Glitter on the Gulfstream all-weather course in March.
Reef Runner has career earnings of $235,765 for owners and breeders Alex and JoAnn Lieblong of Conway, Ark. He is by The Big Beast out of Paradise Bay, by Blame.
Trainer David Fawkes has given the riding assignment on Reef Runner to Miguel Vasquez and they are listed at 10-1 on the morning line.
Yes I Am Free makes his first start since being transferred to the barn of trainer Brad Cox by owners John and Paula Szalay’s Golden Kernel Racing Stable of Pensinsula, Ohio.
A winner of the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint at this distance in 2023, Yes I Am Free will try the Janus for the third time after finishing fourth in his two previous tries in 2021 and 2023. He has one victory in seven starts this year, winning an upper level, $62,500 optional claiming on the Gulfstream synthetic in February. His last try against stakes horses came two starts back on June 8 at Churchill Downs when eighth in the $224,000 Mighty Beau at five furlongs on the grass.
Yes I Am Free is by Uncaputured out of Yes It’s Valid, by Yes It’s True and was bred in Florida by the late Sherry R. Mansfield and Kenneth H. Davis. He has 13 wins, seven seconds and five thirds in 39 lifetime starts with earnings of $797,844.
Yes I Am Free is 8-1 on the morning line and will be ridden from post five by Junior Alvarado.
Xy Speed is another with an affinity for sprinting on the Gulfstream turf. In addition to his previously mentioned victory, the Michael Lerman-trained gelding won three consecutive races over the course earlier this year including two overnight handicaps in April and May.
The 8-year-old veteran son of First Samurai has won 14 of 40 career starts with six seconds and three thirds while earning $493,291.
Xy Speed is 8-1 in the program and will be ridden from post two by Emisael Jaramillo.
Rounding out the field are Masseto (GB) and jockey Javier Castellano, Whenigettoheaven with Edwin Gonzalez up, Drayden Van Dyke rides Okiro, That’s Right will have John Velazquez aboard, Axthelm will be ridden by Edgard Zayas, Smithwick’s Spice and pilot Jorge Gonzalez, Arzak with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Coppola with have Tyler Gaffalione in the saddle and Sophie Doyle rides Foxtrotanna.
