Reigning SOVEREIGN AWARD trainer KEVIN ATTARD, who took some horses to Florida this winter, the first time in a number of years, got his first win at Gulfstream this year when O’HEARN, an Ontario-bred by Echo Town, won her maiden on February 20. The three-year-old filly, owned by Al and Bill Ulwelling and bred by Michael C. Byrne, won the 1 mile dirt race in 1:43.40.
Attard is one win away from 900 career wins.
Meanwhile, Attard’s 2025 King’s Plate winner MANSETTI had his first workout of the year on Feb. 21 when he breezed 3 furlongs in 37.35 at Palm Meadows. The son of Collected, who was recently bought back from a digital sale by owners Al and Bil Ulwelling, is up for 2025 Champion three-year-old and is a likely finalist for Horse of the Year.
Attard’s top two-year-old of 2025, TWO OUT HERO, tried the John Battaglia Stakes at Turfway Park on Saturday night but the Soaring Free Stakes winner had a stumbling beginning from a very tough post (12) and was outrun, landing ninth in the 1 1/16 mile race on Tapeta.
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At Tampa Bay Downs last Friday, trainer MICHAEL WRIGHT sent out back-to-back winners. He won the fourth race with the nine-year-old Ontario bred gelding EMBRACE MY UNCLE (Shanghai Bobby), owned by his wife Gina Wright and ridden by apprentice jockey Cesar Gonzalez. A $10,000 claim in October, Embrace My Uncle has two wins and a fourth this winter on the dirt at Tampa Bay Sadly, Embrace My Uncle (63, 10-17-6) was claimed from the race for $12,500 by trainer Michael Simone for new owner Paterpop Racing.
Wright added the fifth race on the turf with Kentucky-bred CRUMLIN LAD, a six-year-old gelding by Sharp Azteca, owned by Angela Rutledge and ridden by Jesus Castanon. Crumlin Lad, claimed for $25,000 in September by Wright’s son Mike Jr., ran the one mile on turf in 1:35.20 for a career-best 88 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form.
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STEVEN CHIRCOP sent out Ontario-bred SOUPER VINNIE (Souper Speedy – Vinolicious by Zensational) to win a maiden special weight race at Charles Town on Feb. 21. The four-year-old gelding was 6-to-5 and making his 11th career start. He is owned by Chircop and Jill Frost.
MARTIN DREXLER stretched out speedy mare LOIS LEN on the weekend at Gulfstream and the Ontario-bred by Hunters Bay led all the way to grab her 10th career win. She is a seven-year-old mare who has raced for a number of owners and trainers. She was bred by Adena Springs in Ontario.
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C2 Racing Stable LLC’s MISH, a nine-year-old trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Tyler Gaffalione, won his 12th career race when defeating Shadwell Stable’s highly-touted debut winner Elnajd in the Sunday feature at Gulfstream Park.
Mish, a Florida-bred gelding by Field Commission coming off a victory over a sloppy track last time out, was three-wide down the backstretch in the six furlong event before taking a clear lead around the turn. Elnajd, a four-year-old son of Speightstown, chased Mish home to no avail. Mish covered the distance in 1:10.66 and was 1 1/4 lengths in front of Elnajd.
“He’s the only nine-year-old we have in the barn, but at nine he’s as sound as ever and as fast as ever,” Joseph said. “He came back today and beat a Brad [Cox] horse that was highly thought of. [Jockey] Irad [Ortiz Jr.] jumped off [Mish] to ride him.
“I think you can’t judge a horse by age. You have to judge a horse on how the horse is doing more than age. You saw what [nine-year-old] Constitution Hill did in England the other day. A nine-year-old against a four-year-old. This is similar. It shows when you have class and you’re good, you’re good.”
(Editor’s note: While trainer Joseph noted that Mish is ‘as sound as ever and as fast as ever’ the gelding was in for a new low claiming price in January, $16,000, and down again in class Sunday to $25,000 claiming. Could the gelding finally be claimed away the next time he runs?)
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