Dream Pauline burst through an opening on the inside and strolled to victory under Javier Castellano in the $150,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) on the Pegasus World Cup undercard at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, beating a field that included newly anointed champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose.
The lightly-raced four-year-old daughter of Tapit was registering her second straight graded win at the meet after notching the Sugar Swirl (G3) on December 15. The Stonestreet homebred paid $7.80 after completing seven furlongs on a sloppy track in 1:21.45.
Pacific Gale, a 44-1 outsider, finished second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of Stormy Embrace. Shamrock Rose was a non-threatening fourth in her first start after upsetting the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), while 2-1 favorite Blamed finished fifth after setting the pace.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Dream Pauline has now won four of five starts with one second for earnings of $244,173. Out of the multiple Grade 1-winning Dream Rush, she’s a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia.
“She’s a special filly,” McLaughlin said. “We’ve always been high on her. She’s been a little unlucky, like not getting in the Raven Run (G2), like having a temperature before the Prioress (G2). But she’s a nice filly and Javier rode a great race today. Obviously, she’s won twice her on the wet, so she likes the wet.”
It was a Mike Maker-trained exacta in the $200,000 W.L. McKnight (G3) as 2-1 favorite Zulu Alpha repelled a bid from Soglio to win by a half-length under Irad Ortiz Jr. in the 1 1/2-mile grass test for older horses.
Owned by Michael Hui, Zulu Alpha paid $6.60 after completing the distance in 2:36.80 over yielding ground. Finishing third was European invader Hunting Horn.
Claimed for $80,000 at Churchill Downs in September, Zulu Alpha subsequently captured the Sycamore (G3) at Keeneland, but was only seventh in last month’s Ft. Lauderdale (G2) over a shorter trip of nine furlongs.
The six-year-old gelded son of Street Cry originally raced for breeders Calumet Farm. His record now stands at 22-7-3-4, $353,814.
Jockey Chris Landeros waited to commence a bid with Si Que Es Buena until the third turn of the $200,000 La Prevoyante (G3) for fillies and mares over 1 1/2 miles on the turf, and the patience paid off as the six-year-old daughter of Equal Stripes had plenty in the tank to wear down favorite Santa Monica in the stretch to win by one length.
“What a great ride. Gosh, he’s riding good, this kid,” trainer Graham Motion said. “I really hadn’t ridden him until he came to Gulfstream. He rode her very patiently.”
Owned by Takaya Shimakawa, Si Qu Es Buena paid $17 after completing the course in 2:34.04.
Bred in Argentina but campaigned in Peru prior to her importation, Si Que Es Buena was a rallying fourth in the Long Island (G3) at Aqueduct in her U.S. debut in November. Last month, she captured the $75,000 Via Borghese at Gulfstream on firm ground.
“She’s had two big races pretty close together. I won’t be in a hurry to run her back, to be honest,” Motion said. “She handled softish ground at Aqueduct.”
Si Que Es Buena has now earned $212,570 from a record of 15-7-3-1.
Aztec Sense made it nine wins in a row for himself and gave trainer Jorge Navarro his 1,000th career victory in the $150,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3), scoring by 1 3/4 lengths as the 5-2 second choice in the one-mile race for older horses.
Aztec Sense reportedly was vanned back to the stable area after the race after being off in his left front.
Owned by Joseph Besecker and ridden here by Emisael Jaramillo, Aztec Sense paid $7. Breaking Lucky held second by a neck over 70-1 chance Fellowship, while 3-2 favorite Copper Town retreated to seventh after rearing up in the gate prior to the start.
A six-year-old gelded son of Street Sense has won all but one start for his connections since being claimed for $12,500 at Parx in August 2017. The multiple stakes winner avenged an earlier Claiming Crown defeat by winning the $196,000 Claiming Crown Jewel by a neck in his most recent start on December 1. His career earnings now sit at $637,017 from a record of 37-13-5-1.
A rematch between the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) one-two Stormy Liberal and World of Trouble did not materialize when the former was scratched from the $150,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint when the race was switched to the main track.
Instead, World of Trouble turned the five-furlong fixture into another tour de force as he won geared down by 2 3/4 lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr. He paid $2.40 after covering the distance in :56.44. Recruiting Ready was a clear second ahead of Belle Tapisserie.
Owned by Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables, and Bethlehem Stables, World of Trouble was winning for the fifth time in stakes company, his earnings now $671,400 from a line of 10-6-2-1.
“Mike Dubb will map out (his schedule). I guess Keeneland is on the radar, New York,” trainer Jason Servis said of the Kantharos colt.
Cherry Lodge led wire-to-wire to take the $150,000 Ladies’ Turf Sprint, also moved to the main track due to wet conditions.
The 9-5 second choice under Jose Ortiz, Cherry Lodge ($5.60) sped five furlongs in :57.10 for owner Gainesway Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. Just Talkin finished second and Razorback Lady was third.
Third in the Spinaway (G1) and second in the Matron (G3) at two, Cherry Lodge had also finished third in the 2018 edition of the Ladies’ Turf Sprint. Following this initial stakes win, the five-year-old daughter of Bernardini has bankrolled $322,422.
The day’s first stakes that stayed on the turf was the $125,000 South Beach for fillies and mares. Dolce Lili held off a late rally from Conquest Hardcandy to notch her first stakes win by a half-length under John Velazquez, covering 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:33.63.
Owned by Don Alberto Stable and trained by Bill Mott, Dolce Lili paid $8.60. A two-time allowance winner and previously third in the $146,000 Forever Together at Aqueduct, the five-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy boosted her career earnings to $251,625.
