Wolfie’s Dynaghost takes the Fort Lauderdale, Gulfstream Photo
Gulfstream Park Press
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Woodslane Farm’s millionaire homebred gelding Wolfie’s Dynaghost, in the best form of his life at age 7, dug in through the stretch after setting a testing early pace to repel a stubborn Cugino for a record-setting victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
The 69th running of the Fort Lauderdale for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the grass anchored a Pegasus Preview Day program featuring five stakes, two graded, worth $750,000 in purses.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Brian Lynch, Wolfie’s Dynaghost ($3.80) completed the distance in 1:43.42 over a firm turf course to shatter the previous track record of 1:44.45 set by Irish-bred mare Warm Heart while carrying 118 pounds in winning the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) in 2024.
According to Equibase statistics the final time was also a North American record for 1 1/8 miles on the grass, surpassing 5-year-old Kostroma’s 1:43.92 established Oct. 20, 1991 at Santa Anita Park. Kostroma, also bred in Ireland, carried 117 pounds; Wolfie’s Dynaghost was the 126-pound co-topweight with Cugino in the Fort Lauderdale.
“Irad told me, ‘You did all the hard work and I was just the driver,’” Lynch said. “It’s lovely to see an old horse like that just come into himself and get better and better with racing.”
It was the third straight victory, 14th overall, 10th in a stakes and third against graded company from 32 starts for Wolfie’s Dynaghost, effectively punching his ticket to the 1 1/8-mile Pegasus Turf Jan. 24. The bay son of Hall of Famer Ghostzapper has had success on Pegasus Day before, winning back-to-back editions of the Carousel Club overnight handicap over the all-weather Tapeta course on the 2022 and 2023 undercards for previous trainers Tom Albertrani and Jonathan Thomas.
“No doubt,” Lynch said about pointing to the Pegasus Turf for 4-year-olds and up. “This race was a great steppingstone for it and to run the way he ran today, I think he deserves it.”
Also with the win, Ortiz further padded his single-season earnings record and became the first rider to reach the $40 million mark.
“I’ve had a great year. Thanks to my agent [Steve Rushing] and everyone who supported me the whole year,” Ortiz said. “We’re not done yet. We’re going to keep working hard and finish the year strong.”
Breaking from Post 2 as the 4-5 favorite in a field of eight older horses, Wolfie’s Dynaghost pulled Ortiz to the front where they led through a quarter-mile in 22.34 seconds and a half in 45.84, pressed on their right hip by Quatrocento. Cugino, riding a two-race win streak, saved ground on the inside in third, with millionaire Chasing the Crown racing in the clear in fourth.
The top group closed ranks after six furlongs went in 1:09.09 but Wolfie’s Dynaghost was tenacious on the lead, especially when Cugino tipped off the rail and was set down for a drive by jockey Flavien Prat. Wolfie’s Dynaghost had something in reserve and was able to gain some separation from his lone challenger and win by three-quarters of a length.
“He broke on his own. I didn’t do too much. He has speed so Brian told me, ‘Try to make the lead if you can,’” Ortiz said. “He broke sharp. I let him find his rhythm. He came back to me. He relaxed so well. After that I just let him do his thing and relax until it was time to roll. He was very professional. When we made the second turn he was traveling the same way as he was on the backstretch. Turning for home, I asked him and he exploded.”
Cugino was 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Beach Gold in third. They were followed by Divin Propos, Chasing the Crown, Quatrocento, Steal Sunshine and Siege of Boston. Defending champion Major Dude and Naptown were scratched.
Wolfie’s Dynaghost pushed his career bankroll over $1.3 million winning his second straight graded race following the 1 1/8-mile River City (G3) on the Churchill Downs turf Nov. 8 in his first start for Lynch. It was his fourth win in the last five starts including the Prince George’s County, also going nine furlongs, June 28 on the grass at Laurel Park.
“He’s got an aura of confidence about him right now. When you see a horse run the first quarter in 22 and change and have his ears pricked like a deer in the meadow going down the backside, you know they’re pretty comfortable and you know they’re feeling good,” Lynch said. “I thought it was a very good field of horses and I thought to go as hard as he did early and to finish up as strong as he did, there’s just no doubt he’s in very good form right now.”
Named for the famed coastal city 14 miles north of Gulfstream, the Fort Lauderdale has seen 2020 winner Largent go on to run second in the 2021 Pegasus Turf and 2019 winner Instilled Regard finish third in the 2020 Pegasus Turf.
