BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Four Florida-breds are among a total of eight 3-year-olds set to race seven furlongs in the $100,000 Carry Back Stakes at Gulfstream Park Saturday, led by stakes-winner Wayne’s Law and joined by stakes-placed Langvad, Demolition and Move Jesse Move.
A winner of last year’s $72,000 Aventura going a mile at Gulfstream in September, the Amador Sanchez-trained Wayne’s Law finished his freshman year with a third in the $100,000 Jean Lafitte at Delta Downs in November.
Sanchez tried the son of Tiz the Law against some of the best in his class to start his sophomore campaign, finishing second to future Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade 1)-runner-up Renegade in the $210,000 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs on February 7. In his next start on March 28, he finished fifth in the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) won by Commandment at Gulfstream.
After a little more than a month off, Wayne’s Law had an unsuccessful trial on grass, finishing seventh in the $96,000 English Channel going a mile at Gulfstream on May 2.
Wayne’s Law enters the Carry Back with two wins with a second and two thirds in seven career starts while earning $165,980 for owner Baalbek Corporation, who bought him for $25,000 out of the JP Thoroughbreds consignment at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale. Out of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Nollie Merisa, Wayne’s Law was bred in Florida by Margaret McFarland of Ocala.
Wayne’s Law has post five and jockey Rajiv Maragh.
Saffie Joseph Jr. saddles Langvad, who enters off a smart five-and-a-quarter-length score in a first level allowance race against older Florida-breds going six furlongs on May 23.
“He ran big last time, a big race, got a big number,” Joseph said. “It is coming back a little quick. I wasn’t really intending to run here but I’m going to give him a shot.”
A winner of two of six races with a second and a third, Langvad’s other triumph came in his second career start, a maiden special weight versus Florida-breds at Gulfstream in November. His stakes-placed credentials were earned in a third-place finish behind Solitude Dude in the $102,000 Inaugural going six furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs in December.
An earner of $92,100 for owners Steve Friedfertig and Shining Stables, Langvad is by Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew out of Malibu Melody, by Malibu Moon. Joseph bought him for $23,000 out of the 2024 OBS October Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Sue Vacek. He was bred in Florida by John B. Penn of Ocala.
Rasheed Hughes has the riding assignment from post three.
Trainer Tareq Moubarak owns Demolition with Alwaleed Thamer Alosaimi International Stables and sends the bay son of Global Campaign into stakes company off a first out win in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream on June 13.
Demolition was a $135,000 graduate of the 2025 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age where he was consigned by his breeder, Ocala Stud. Out of Holiday Flare, by Harlan’s Holiday, Demolition was purchased in the June Sale by Sultan Racing.
He has drawn the outside post eight and will be ridden by Miguel Vasquez.
A winner of a first condition, $75,000 optional claiming going a mile and 40 yards on the main track at Tampa Bay Downs on April 11, Move Jesse Move finished off the board last out in the $95,000 Not Surprising on the Gulfstream synthetic. He was also eighth in the $110,000 Lambholm Sophomore Turf aganst Florida-breds at Tampa Bay Downs on March 29.
With a record of two wins in five career starts, both victories came on dirt including a three-and-three-quarter-lengths win first time out in a $25,000 maiden claiming going a mile at Gulfstream in November.
Move Jesse Move is trained by Lester Barbazon III for Diane Amendolara for whom he has banked $59,070. Move Jesse Move is by Jess’s Dream out of Move Over Now, by Mucho Macho Man and was bred in Florida by Diane Perkins of Lexington, Kentucky in the name of here Wimborne Farm.
Others set to line up for the Carry Back are Moonstrocity with Jose E. Morelos named to ride, Sonic Surge will have Diego Herrera in the irons, Ramajay and jockey Micah Husbands and Samy Camacho will guide One Hundred Kings.
First run at Calder Race Course in 1975, the Carry Back has a long history of 28 Florida-bred victors beginning with Winners Hit in 1976. Other Florida-bred winners include Chwesboken (1977), Admiral Fox (1978) Breezy Fire (1979), Diplomatic Note (1980), Face the Moment (1981), Rex’s Profile (1982), Opening Lead (1983), Bowman’s Express (1984), Smile (1985), In the Slammer (1988), Big Stanley (1989), Country Isle (1990), Ocala Flame (1991), Always Silver (1992), Humbugaboo (1993), Score a Birdie (1994), Fortunate Review (1996), Royal Lad (2002), Valid Video (2003), Weigelia (2004), Lost in the Fog (2005), Black Seventeen (2007), Coffee Boy (2010), Fort Loudon (2012), Three Rules (2017), Take Command (2019), Lightning Tones (2023) and Mati Gol in 2025.
Return to the June 25 issue of Wire to Wire
