HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Jacks or Better Farm Inc.’s Spirit Wind ran a hole in the wind Saturday at Gulfstream Park, scoring a never-in-doubt front-running victory in the $100,000 Any Limit Stakes.
The Any Limit, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, was the first of three stakes on Saturday’s program that also featured the $100,000 Hutcheson, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds; and the $100,000 Silks Run, a five-furlong dash for older horses on turf.
Spirit Wind set fractions of 21.94 and 44.39 seconds for the first half of a mile to distance herself from her five rivals before coasting to a 2 ½-lengths victory in 1:11.43 under Tyler Gaffalione.
“That’s her. She’s talented. She does things easy,” trainer Ralph Nicks said. “Second time off the layoff, she was probably a little more keen than she normally would be, but at the end of the day she’s just loaded with talent.”
The homebred daughter of Bahamian Squall debuted with a second-place finish at 4 ½ furlongs last May and returned eight months later to graduate by 13 ½ lengths at Gulfstream Feb. 18, running six furlongs in 1:09.
“She’s fast,” Gaffalione said. “Last time, we took her away from the pony and she was really relaxed. She went to the gate real calm. Today, she was a little bit more on her toes when I took her away from the pony. I was regretting it. She got a little too forward and a little too warm. That’s why I think we saw here come back to the field late, but she’s a quality filly.”
One Identity, who was undefeated in her first two starts, rallied late to edge Strategic Bird for second by 1 ¼ lengths.
Spirit Wind ($4.40) will be given a little extra time before returning to action.
“She’s going to need a little spacing between this one and the next one,” Nicks said. “Maybe we’ll go to Pimlico or something in the middle.”
The Miss Preakness (G3), a six-furlong stakes for 3-year-olds fillies, will be run on the Black-Eyed Susan Day undercard May 20 at Pimlico.
Gulfstream Park Press Release
Photo: Ryan Thompson
