Saturday’s Claiming Crown day at Gulfstream Park offered some nice purses in starter stakes races for horses who have raced at various claiming levels.
Ontario-bred DESCENTE (Bodemeister – Work N Flirt by Street Sense) was one of the most impressive winners, taking the $80,000 CC Glass Slipper Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths at one mile on the dirt in 1:36.00. The resulting 85 Beyer Speed Figure was the highest earned by the 4-year-old filly in her career which began at Woodbine in 2018.
Bred by Bernard and Karen McCormack, Descente, making her first start for Peter Walder, her 7th owner/trainer, the filly had been claimed for $6,250 from her previous race, one of five wins in 2020.
Descente is the epitome of a ‘claiming crown’ star as she has been working hard in low-level claiming races throughout the year. Originally a $42,000 Keeneland November weanling in 2016, the filly was bought by Roger Keith Long and won a $93,000 maiden allowance at Woodbine in 2018 with trainer Mike McDonald.
Late in 2019 the filly was claimed for $7,500 by Ryan Kerbel and she promptly went out and won at the same level at Gulfstream in January of this year. Since then she has been claimed four times and she is 6 for 8 this year.
Bernard McCormack wrote on Facebook Saturday, “She started life here as an orphan foal and was bottle fed until ROSE, a beautiful Clydesdale mare came into her life and did such a great job as her mom.”
Descente has 7 career wins in 24 races and earnings of $176,260.
DESCENTE as a foal in 2016 with her nursemare Rose – photo courtesy Bernard McCormack
More Saturday
WEYBURN splashed to victory in the first race at Aqueduct on Dec. 5 for Chiefswood Stables Limited and trainer James Jerkens. The 2-year-old Ontario-bred by Pioneerofthe Nile – Sunday Affair by A.P. Indy was making his third career start and won the 7 furlong maiden allowance in 1:25.59.
The colt is the 13th winner for the stable in 2020.
Puerto Rican star NEIL’S DIAMOND (read his story here ) had his four-race winning streak halted on Saturday at Camarero racetrack when he was passed late by Little Paul in an allowance race in heavy rain. The 7-year-old Ontario-bred is by Where’s the Ring.
More from News:
