Gulfstream Park puts the 2-year-olds front and center Saturday for a pair of internationally important stakes. The third annual Royal Palm Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies offer automatic bids to Royal Ascot races. Winners of both turf sprints will receive travel stipends and entry into their choice of 6 potential Royal Ascot stakes held June 17-21 in England.
Let’s meet the contenders for the Royal Palm Juvenile (Race 10):
#1-SANDAL’S SONG: Trainer George Weaver two years ago swept both Royal Palm races at Gulfstream and has drawn the rail in both the Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies. This $75,000 Mendelssohn colt has trained on dirt at Palm Beach Downs but has grass on both sides of his pedigree.
#2-BEERS ON ME: Gulfstream debut runner-up April 18 missed by a head vs. Royal Palm Juvenile rival Squire. That race was on dirt. Trainer Luis Mendez has been known over the years for some early season juvenile success in Southern California and moves from an apprentice rider to journeyman Edwin Gonzalez.
#3-WIN N JUICE: Nolan Ramsey trainee debuts off a long series of Gulfstream dirt workouts, including a couple of bullet moves. $30,000 purchase at Ocala in March is by Win Win Win, who was both a stakes-winning turf miler and Grade 1 Forego winner sprinting on dirt. Miguel Vasquez rides.
#4-SQUIRE: Colt struck at first asking April 18 on dirt at Gulfstream, rallying to win by a head over Saturday re-matched rival Beers On Me. Son of Leinster, who won the 2021 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint over this course and was third in the ’20 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Trainer Patrick Biancone’s 2-year-olds include Lennilu, who debuted a winner at Keeneland and runs in the Royal Palm Juvenile Turf also with Luis Saez aboard.
#5-CHASING MY DREAM: $180,000 Ocala March purchase easily was the top sales buy among this lineup of runners. Like rival Win N Juice, he’s by Win Win Win, who was both a stakes-winning turf miler and Grade 1 Forego winner sprinting on dirt. J. David Braddy trains and Leonel Reyes rides, following a series of 5 dirt works at GP.
#6-FUZZY STARE: Trainer Wesley Ward had much success with turf sprinter Hootenanny as well as that one’s offspring, so it will be no surprise if Fuzzy Stare can scoot in his debut. Ward also trained the dam Bistro Moncur, who won going 5 furlongs on the turf at Gulfstream in claiming company. This gelding worked 6 times at Keeneland this spring but did not start at the meet. Emisael Jaramillo rode both Royal Palm race winners last year and has the call.
#7-TULLY ROAD: That Luis Saez rides trainer Patrick Biancone’s Squire in this race and leaves this mount to Jonathan Ocasio may indicate the barn’s stronger entrant. Debut runner by Leinster, who won the 2021 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint over this course and was third in the ’20 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. Biancone’s 2-year-olds include Lennilu, who debuted a winner at Keeneland and runs in the Royal Palm Juvenile Turf.
#8-ARKADELPHIA: Home-bred rookie by Halladay has posted 5 works in Florida for trainer Luis Mendez, who has been known over the years for some early season juvenile success in Southern California. Grade 1-winning sire Halladay was 3-for-4 over the Gulfstream lawn, including a 2019 Tropical Park Derby victory. This is Halladay’s first crop to race. Cipriano Gil has the mount.
#9-I THINK I CAN: Irish-bred filly by renowned international sire Lope de Vega. Entered against the boys as the Repole Stables-Todd Pletcher tandem has Nonna’s Love (half-sister to Fierceness) entered in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies and look to separate its chances. I Think I Can has a long workout tab back to March at Palm Beach Downs, including an April 18 turf move.
#10-FEAR: Keeneland debut dirt third-place finisher on April 18. First of as many as 4 contenders in this race for trainer Jose D’Angelo, who upset the Royal Palm Juvenile a year ago with Gabaldon and paid $35. Yet another entrant here for versatile sire Win Win Win, who was both a stakes-winning turf miler and Grade 1 Forego winner sprinting on dirt. Edgard Zayas is named to ride.
#11-CADENCED: Trainer Mark Casse won last year’s Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies and looks for a bookend trophy on the boys’ side with this colt by Complexity. $40,000 yearling buy has had 2 works since arriving at Gulfstream (dirt and Tapeta). Jose Morelos gets the mount.
#12-CIBORIO: First-time starter from the first crop of sire Raging Bull, he cost $97,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Raging Bull was a 3-time Grade 1 winner on turf and a standout miler. Trainer Jose D’Angelo upset the Royal Palm Juvenile a year ago with Gabaldon and paid $35. Bullet workouts at Palm Meadows and turf experience in the morning indicate readiness. Francisco Arrieta is in from the recently completed Oaklawn meeting with the mount.
#13-SKIPPING STARS and #14 HOTGTER THAN DEM: Also-eligibles are both trained by Jose D’Angelo, who looks for a repeat in the Royal Palm Juvenile. Both have trained on turf at Palm Meadows and would add depth to the barn’s entrants in the main body of the field. Skipping Stars is a colt by champion sprinter Mitole, while Hotter Than Dem is by Volatile, who won 5 of 6 races, including the Grade 1 Vanderbilt on dirt.
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