HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Godolphin LLC’s Prevalence, a brilliant 8 ½-length debut winner, is scheduled to make a highly anticipated return to the races Thursday at Gulfstream Park.
The Brendan Walsh trainee will headline a field of six 3-year-olds in an entry-level optional claiming allowance, a one-turn mile event carded as Race 8.
Prevalence debuted on the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) undercard at Gulfstream Jan. 23, brushing with a rival shortly after the start before asserting himself on the backstretch and drawing away under wraps to complete seven furlongs in 1:23.
The Feb. 27 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream had been a goal for the homebred son of Medaglia d’Oro before missing a key workout by a brief illness.
“It was minor, a cough, but that put him out of any consideration for the Fountain of Youth,” Walsh said. “He’s worked back since and has worked really well. He worked really good Friday, so we’re happy with him. It will be a nice progression tomorrow going a mile from seven-eighths.”
A Kentucky Derby (G1) prep is a next-start possibility, depending on his return to the races Thursday.
“If we do, depending on tomorrow, it would be one of the very last ones, like the Arkansas Derby, the Wood or the Blue Grass,” Walsh said. “But I hate to look any further ahead than tomorrow.”
Tyler Gaffalione has the return mount aboard Prevalence.
David Fawkes-trained Caxambas Candy, who won by 4 ¾ lengths in his Feb. 17 debut in a mile off-the-turf maiden special weight race; and Gail Cox-trained Tio Magico, a son of Uncle Mo who finished second in the Nov. 1 Coronation Futurity at Woodbine last time out; are among Prevalence’s rivals.
Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $250,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $250,000 Thursday at Gulfstream Park.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved Wednesday for the first racing day since Sunday’s mandatory payout. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $51.34 Wednesday.
The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $4806.94 into the first race, a maiden claimer for fillies at six furlongs.
Hurricane Bertie (G3) Rescheduled to March 20
The $100,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3), for fillies and mares at 6 ½ furlongs originally scheduled for Saturday, will now be run Saturday, March 20 after it failed to fill.
“The Hurricane Bertie is an important race on the Gulfstream Park schedule,” said Gulfstream’s Vice President of Racing Mike Lakow. “We’re going to do our best to make it go next Saturday.”
WHO’S HOT: Defending two-time Championship Meet titlist Irad Ortiz Jr. added four more victories to his meet-leading total Wednesday. Ortiz, who had ridden 11 winners on the previous three programs at Gulfstream, kicked off Wednesday’s program with victories aboard Breakthrough ($2.60) in Race 1, Bourbon Thunder ($6.60) in Race 2 and Isadorable Aida ($7) in Race 3 before scoring aboard Field Day ($) in Race 6 and Coworth Park ($10.60) in Race 7.
Ortiz has ridden 126 winners during the Championship Meet, just 11 wins behind the record of 137, set by Luis Saez during the 2017-2018 meet.
Gulfstream Park Press Release
Photo: Prevalence, (Coglianese Photos)
