Carotari closes out his 2021 campaign with a win in the Janus at Gulfstream Park (Lauren King)
Gulfstream Park Press Release
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla.— William Branch’s Carotari has earned the undying respect of his trainer, Brian Lynch, during their 30-race association that has produced 10 wins, including five stakes victories, seven runner-up finishes and three third-place finishes.
The 7-year-old gelding, who has steadily built a bankroll over $700,000 by showing up in virtually every start, is scheduled to seek his first victory of the season in Saturday’s $100,000 Silks Run, a five-furlong turf sprint for older horses that will be co-featured on a 12-race program with the $100,000 Hutcheson, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds on the main track.
“He’s been a lovely sound horse and he still loves what he does. He still has that want-to. Until he shows he doesn’t want to play ball anymore, we’ll keep doing our best to get him ready,” Lynch said. “I’d love to get him over a million dollars, that would be my goal. He’s been such a model of consistency.”
Carotari is scheduled to seek his sixth stakes victory in Saturday’s $100,000 Silks Run, a five-furlong turf dash for older horses, that will co-headline Gulfstream Park’s 12-race program with the $100,000 Hutcheson, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.
The son of Artie Schiller will make his second start of 2023 while coming off a solid second-place finish in the Feb. 11 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint (G3), finishing just a half-length behind Yes I Am Free.
“He comes into in good shape. I think he’s a little fitter, a little tighter than he was the last time, so I’m looking forward to running him,” Lynch said, “I think he’s going to bring one of his ‘A’ game races this week.”
Carotari, who won the 2021 Silks Run, made a steady bid while racing between horses throughout the stretch but was unable to catch the front-running defending champion of the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.
“Take nothing away from the winner. He ran very, very big. He got the jump on us, and we had a little bit of traffic early with the inside, outside, press. He was very game, very game,” Lynch said. “He kept to the task, that’s for sure.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to ride Carotari for the first time Saturday.
Golden Kernel Racing Stable’s Yes I Am Free will seek to repeat his 2022 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint/Silks Run double while looking to win for the third-straight race this year.
Emisael Jaramillo has the call on the Laura Cazares-trained 7-year-old gelding.
Golden Kernel Racing Stable and Cazares will also be represented in the Silks Run by Panther Island, who is coming off a sixth-place finish in the Turf Dash at Tampa Bay Downs after being claimed for $62,500 in his previous start at Gulfstream.
Jose Ortiz has the assignment aboard the 4-year-old son of Speightstown.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing’s Big Invasion, a winner of five stakes in a row before finishing off the board in his 2022 finale in the Franklin-Simpson (G2) at Keeneland, is slated to make his 2023 debut in the Silks Run. The 4-year-old son of Declaration of War broke his maiden and won the Texas Glitter by three lengths at Gulfstream last year.
Joel Rosario has the return call aboard the Christophe Clement trainee.
Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Pantofel Stable LLC’s Lucky Score is also scheduled to make his 2023 debut after capturing the Vigil (G3) and finishing third in the Kennedy Road (G2) at Woodbine in his final two starts last season.
Tyler Gaffalione has the call on the 5-year-old Lookin At Lucky gelding.
Just For Fun Stable Inc.’s Warrior’s Pride, the 2021 Texas Glitter winner; Peace Sign Stables’ Belgrano, a 9-year-old multiple-stakes winner who finished fourth in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint; Nigel R. Burke’s Rockcrest, who finished second behind Lucky Score in the Vigil; are also entered.
Princess Kathy Racing LLC and Red Rabbit Racing’s Novgorod the Great, Gelfenstein Farm LLC’s Siglioso, Elizabeth Dobles and Imaginary Stable’s Full Disclosure, and Bibi Jehaludi and Rashad Jehaludi’s Omaha City round out the field.
