The Hunk extended his winning streak to four at Gulfstream Park on December
10, rolling to an easy wire-to-wire score in a six-furlong optional claiming
event, and the promising sprinter will make his stakes debut in Saturday’s Grade
3, $100,000 Mr. Prospector at the South Florida oval. Elvis Trujillo will retain
the mount on the Ben Perkins Jr.-trained colt.
A tough group of opponents will be awaiting the four-year-old.
Stakes winner Apriority, a Grade 1 runner-up, exits a sixth-place effort in
the Breeders’ Cup Sprint and is two for two at Gulfstream. Grade 1 hero Capt.
Candyman Can is a dual stakes winner over the track, capturing the Sir
Shackleton Handicap earlier this year and the 2009 edition of the Grade 2
Hutcheson Stakes. And Grade 2 victor Indiano is very dangerous with his best.
The Hunk was unplaced in two allowance starts at Gulfstream Park earlier this
year. He finished second in three straight starts against starter allowance foes
at Monmouth Park before breaking through with a five-length score in late August
and then captured a pair of allowances at the New Jersey track.
In his last outing, The Hunk registered a career-best 100 BRIS Speed rating.
“He’s improved and learned to relax more than when he was there (Gulfstream)
last winter and ran in the two allowance races (fourth and fifth),” Perkins said
Wednesday morning from New Jersey. “He’s always had tremendous speed, but he was
very rank last winter and in his races at Monmouth early this summer. We’d love
to have him win a graded stakes that could make him a stud prospect.”
A New Farm homebred, The Hunk is by champion sprinter Speightstown and owns a
7-4-3-0 mark at Saturday’s six-furlong distance. The New Jersey-bred is a
half-brother to Grade 1 winner and successful sire Wildcat Heir.
The Hunk will face six rivals while taking a significant class hike in the
Mr. Prospector.
Trainer David Fawkes sent out 2010 Eclipse champion sprinter Big Drama to win
the Mr. Prospector by four lengths in mid-January when he ran six furlongs in
1:08 flat, and has a top contender for Saturday’s renewal with Apriority, who
set a track record at Gulfstream for 6 1/2 furlongs in early March winning an
allowance race by 4 ½ lengths. Jockey Luis Saez picks up the mount.
Capt. Candyman Can is certain to attract strong support with two stakes
victories in three starts over the Gulfstream track. Jockey Calvin Borel will be
aboard the son of Candy Ride for trainer Ian Wilkes as the five-year-old gelding
makes his first appearance since finishing third in the Grade 3 Aristides Stakes
at Churchill Downs on June 4.
Indiano made his first two North American starts at Gulfstream early this
year, finishing second in an allowance race to Escort and second to Travelin Man
in the Grade 2 Swale Stakes. After reeling off three straight tallies at Calder
over the summer, including the Grade 2 Carry Back Stakes, he finished third last
out in the $250,000 Gallant Bob Stakes at Parx on September 24. The Marty
Wolfson pupil will receive a rider switch to Javier Castellano.
Completing the field for the Mr. Prospector are Zero Rate Policy, Immortal
Eyes and Nathan’s H Q.
Zero Rate Policy won the Sunshine State Stakes on December 4 for trainer
Terri Pompay, although against a lesser field. Immortal Eyes has five wins and
three seconds in his last eight starts for trainer Jimmy Toner. Nathan’s H Q
just missed when second by a half-length in the Grade 3 Fall Highweight last out
at Aqueduct on November 24 for trainer Clyde Martin.