HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Scratches became the major story when it came to the $100,000 Limehouse and $100,000 Dania Beach, two of the three stakes races on Saturday’s card at Gulfstream Park.
Two late scratches that included the 1-5 favorite Valiant Force, who reared up in the starting gate just moments before the field was to break, limited the Limehouse to only four starters, paving the way for Ship to Shore to register an easy, eight-length victory over Louie the Sun King in the six-furlong dash for newly turned 3-year-olds.
Ship to Shore, who finished seventh in making his local debut on the turf in the Pulpit Stakes on Dec. 9, was hustled right to the lead by jockey Hector Diaz Jr. while stalked from the outset by Louie the Sun King before readily drawing away from that rival when roused for the drive.
It was another 10 lengths farther back to Hermoso Hombre, who finished third. Steeler Mischief crossed the wire a distant fourth and last as the all-important post time favorite at odds of 6-5 and who thus, by rule, became the unfortunate selection for everyone who had used Valiant Force in their late pick-4, pick-5 and pick-6 selections.
Ship to Shore, whose only previous victory in four career starts came in his debut, a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race at Monmouth Park on June 3, is a homebred son of Sea Wizard owned by Holly Crest Farm and trained by Eddie Owens Jr. He completed the distance over a fast track in 1:10.51 seconds and paid $5.60 as the second choice in the wagering.
The declarations from the Dania Beach came much earlier in the day with four of the 10 3-year-olds entered for the one-mile turf fixture opting out at regular scratch time. Each scratch was listed as “trainer decision,” and left a field of just six.
That set the stage for Maryland invader Tocayo, like Ship to Shore, to get loose on the lead and carry his speed to a gate-to-wire, 1 1/2-length upset over the Grade 2 winner and 1-2 favorite Agate Road. It was another 1 1/4 lengths farther back to Depiction, who finished third.
Like Ship to Shore, Tocayo also exited the Pulpit in his 2-year-old finale when finishing eighth, beaten just four lengths, despite enduring somewhat of an eventful trip. The son of Always Dreaming is owned by Lugamo Racing Stable and trained by Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon. He was ridden to victory by Jorge Ruiz and returned $29.80 for his third win in 11 lifetime starts.
“He was traveling very well in front. The horse was relaxed and comfortable on the lead,” Ruiz said. “The plan was to go to the front and not fight with him.”
Ten of the original 13 3-year-old horses originally entered in the $100,000 Ginger Brew ultimately made it postward with Ozara benefitting from a beautifully orchestrated trip under Tyler Gaffalione to post a 2 1/4-length triumph over the late-running Life’s An Audible with the 9-5 favorite Waskesiu finishing a wide-running third.
Ozara, who won the Wait a While Stakes to close out her 2-year-old campaign here four weeks ago, raced well placed from the outset of the one-mile Ginger Brew, slipped inside the leaders to take control in early stretch and gradually edged clear.
Life’s an Audible, coming off an eighth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, raced at the rear of the pack for over a half-mile, came out to the center of the course while commencing her bid in early stretch and rallied belatedly to overtake the wide running Waskesiu by a head to finish second while never menacing the winner.
Ozara is owned by Cheyenne Stable and trained by Christophe Clement. She completed the distance over a firm course in 1:33.85, nearly three seconds faster than the boys an hour earlier in the Dania Beach, and paid $8.00.
“All the credit goes to Mr. Clement and his team. They brought her over ready to run and she fired big for us today,” Gaffalione said. “It worked out really well. She broke alertly and I was able to tuck in and save some ground. She traveled beautiful in hand and when the spot opened, she quickened right through and finished the job well.”
