Crazy Frazy. (Lauren King)
Reef Runner Becomes Stakes Winner in Bob Umphrey Sprint
Charlie’s Wish Rallies for $100,000 Ginger Punch Triumph
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lea Farms’ Crazy Frazy, a stakes winner at the distance in his previous start, made it two in a row with a sweeping move on the far outside down the stretch to capture Saturday’s $95,000 Aventura by 1 ¼ lengths at Gulfstream Park.
The one-mile Aventura for 2-year-olds was the second of four stakes worth $510,000 in purses on an 11-race program headlined by the $220,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G3), a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 2 at Del Mar.
Ridden by Carlos Rojas for trainer Jorge Delgado, Crazy Frazy ($7.40) completed the distance in 1:38.33 over a fast main track for his third win from five starts and first away from Monmouth Park, where he was a gutsy head winner of the $200,000 Sapling Aug. 11.
“There was a lot of speed in the race, so I sat back and waited and the last four furlongs he improved his position. I made the decision to stay outside, and he finished strong,” Rojas said. “I rode him time before at Monmouth Park. He’s a very good horse.”
Crazy Frazy was unhurried in the early going as Carambaso went the opening quarter-mile in 24.69 seconds, tracked to his outside by 5-2 favorite Naughty Rascal, unbeaten in his first two starts, with Rafid third. Twice stakes-placed Classic of Course made a bold three wide move midway around the far turn to catch the top two after a half in 47.90.
Rojas kept Crazy Frazy in the clear three wide and dark bay or brown son of Blame down for a drive once straightened for home, coming with a steady run to turn back Rafid, who edged Naughty Rascal for second. They were followed by Classic of Course, Enterdadragon, Carambaso, Legal Manuever and Bitter Banker.
Crazy Frazy was bred in Kentucky by Charles Fipke and had raced exclusively at Monmouth, beaten a neck in debut June 2 before breaking through with a 1 ½-length victory July 13. After trying the turf in the five-furlong Tyro, finishing fourth, he returned to the dirt in the Sapling under Rojas for the first time.
Reef Runner Becomes Stakes Winner in Bob Umphrey Sprint
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s homebred Reef Runner, back home in South Florida after a trip to New York, rushed to the lead in mid-stretch and drew clear for a popular two-length victory in the $95,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint.
Reef Runner ($4.20) covered five furlongs over the all-weather Tapeta course in 56.54 seconds under jockey Miguel Vasquez. It was the second win from his last three starts for the 3-year-old son of The Big Beast, who captured a five-furlong optional claimer over the Gulfstream turf July 6 before finishing eighth, beaten 3 ½ lengths, in the 5 ½-furlong Mahony Aug. 11 on the grass at Saratoga.
Vasquez settled Reef Runner in the clear in third as Hope in Him and High Limit Room dueled though a quarter-mile in 21.48 seconds. The half went in 44.70 when Vasquez gave Reef Runner his cue and he responded with a rush on the outside to surge past Hope in Him for his fourth career win.
Takecareofbusiness made a late run to be second, with Oh Darlin splitting horses in the stretch to be third. High Limit Room, Hope in Him and Omaha City completed the order of finish. Multiple stakes winner Xy Speed, the program favorite, and Wide West were scratched.
Charlie’s Wish Rallies for $100,000 Ginger Punch Triumph
Royalight Racing’s Charlie’s Wish, already a stakes winner on dirt and turf, added the all-weather Tapeta to her resume by coming from mid-pack to overtake Majestic Venezuela at the top of the stretch and extend through the lane in Saturday’s $100,000 Ginger Punch Handicap.
Charlie’s Wish ($8.40) was the second stakes win of the day for jockey Miguel Vasquez and trainer David Fawkes, who teamed up to take the $95,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint with Reef Runner ($4.20).
It was 40-1 longshot Swoonatra that led the field of 11 after posting splits of 23.63 and 47.30 seconds, pressed to her outside by Boston Rose with Friendlypersuasion in the clear in third. Majestic Venezuela, favored at 2-1, worked her way to the front approaching the stretch and had her move followed by Charlie’s Wish, who tipped off the rail on the far turn, moved up alongside at the eighth pole and edged clear.
Charlie’s Wish, a Florida-bred son of First Dude, has now been third or better in 15 of 18 starts with five wins including the seven-furlong Azalea last July on Gulfstream’s main track and the 1 1/16-mile Distaff Turf March 24 at Tampa Bay Downs.
