Jockey Emisael Jaramillo won both Royal Ascot qualifiers aboard first-time starters at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, but in contrasting fashion.
Gabaldon showed blistering speed to upset the $110,000 Royal Palm Juvenile for trainer Jose D’Angelo, while the Mark Casse-trained Bullet rallied after starting a beat slow in the $106,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. Wesley Ward was again out of luck with his favorites; Raise the Bar was scratched from the Royal Palm Juvenile, and the 17-10 Perfect Shances checked in seventh in the fillies’ version.
The winners, both gray, receive a $25,000 travel stipend and an automatic entry in a juvenile stakes of choice at the June 18-22 Royal Ascot meeting.
Royal Palm Juvenile
Soldi Stable’s Gabaldon didn’t bring the fashionable pedigrees of his rivals, as you might infer from his $9,000 purchase price as an OBS October yearling. But the Florida-bred son of Gone Astray certainly brought the heat. He was also bet down from a 30-1 morning line, going off at 16.50-1 and paying $35.
Governor Sam, who evoked comparisons to 2023 winner No Nay Mets, was quickest in the opening strides. Gabaldon rapidly went through his gears, however, to grab a slim lead on the inside. The two soon sped several lengths clear of the next tandem, Incanto and Garden of War.
Pressed by Governor Sam through the opening quarter in :21.33, Gabaldon began to get away entering the stretch. Governor Sam dropped a length back passing the half-mile in :43.80, and he would retreat further in the final furlong. But Gabaldon was gone, finishing five furlongs in :56.20.
The chasing pair of Incanto and Garden of War steadily gained ground. Also making headway were the closers Reach for the Rose, on the inside, and Bright Skittle, the slight 3.60-1 favorite taking the overland route. That quartet crossed the wire in line abreast formation, with Reach for the Rose a neck up on the dead-heating Bright Skittle and Garden of War, and Incanto a nose way in fifth. Next came Governor Sam, I Know I Know, Classy War, Madroc, Makeit to Cheyenne, and the winner’s stablemate, Enterdadragon.
Gabaldon opened his account with $57,500. Bred by Carol Ann Reitman, Susan Gannon, and Walter Miller, he was produced by the Value Plus mare Valuable Miss. Until Saturday, the nearest black-type on his page came courtesy of his third dam, Argentine Group 3-placed Safety Toss.
In the postrace interview on track, D’Angelo quipped that now they’ve got the horse for Royal Ascot, they’ll have to find the iconic top hat. The most attractive race might be the June 20 Norfolk (G2), a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1), but the June 19 Windsor Castle S. gives another five-furlong option. Last year, No Nay Mets tried the Norfolk and finished a subpar ninth.
Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies
D. J. Stable’s Bullet, in contrast, garnered more pre-race attention as a $425,000 Keeneland September yearling. Bred by Gainesway Thoroughbreds in the Bluegrass, the blueblood is by War Front and out of Marlinspike, a daughter of Tapit and champion Surfside.
Sent off as the 3.90-1 third choice, Bullet appeared in danger of misfiring when she broke a bit tardily. But Jaramillo wisely let the debutante find her comfort zone near the rear. Bullet had only one rival behind her, the more dramatically slow-starting Bunratty Manor.
Meanwhile, the handwriting was on the wall early for favorite Perfect Shances, who couldn’t make the lead as she did on Keeneland’s main track. She got no nearer than third when You Need Me and Unchained Elaine blasted forward in :22.80.
The 44-1 You Need Me won the pace battle at the half in :44.84, only to have Bullet suddenly ricochet onto the scene. Finishing full of run, the gray won going away by 2 1/4 lengths in :56.80. Her time was two ticks slower than Gabaldon, but her early foible must be taken into account.
You Need Me held second by three-quarters of a length from Casse’s other runner, My Emmy. Unchained Elaine was another neck astern in fourth. Good Long Cry, Bois Blanc, Perfect Shances, and Bunratty Manor concluded the order of finish. The Queens M G, Ramsey Pond, Kip the Distance, and China Blue were all scratched.
Bullet, who paid $9.80, pocketed $49,000 for her successful introduction.
Last year’s Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies winner, Crimson Advocate, turned the double in the Queen Mary (G2). That five-furlong dash for fillies on June 19 would be a logical spot for Bullet, unless Casse would prefer to try her over further. Casse is already a winner at Royal Ascot, having sent out Hall of Famer Tepin to defeat males in the 2016 Queen Anne (G1).
