HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – You won’t find too many horses campaigning in the United States that can confidently be called a two-mile specialist. But in light of his recent accomplishments, it seems safe to hang that label on The Grey Wizard.
Saturday at Gulfstream Park, The Grey Wizard figures to go postward a heavy favorite when taking on 10 rivals, including his younger half-brother The Ginger Wizard, at two miles in the $115,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap.
The Grey Wizard has already won a pair of two-mile races this season, the Grade 2 Belmont Gold Cup late last spring at Saratoga and most recently the John Forbes Memorial by a half-length over the pacesetting Curbstone on Oct. 19 at Far Hills. The Grey Wizard’s imposing long-distance résumé also includes second-place finishes in the 2023 Belmont Gold Cup as well as the 2 1/16-mile Nashville Gold Cup this summer at Kentucky Downs.
Trained by Graham Motion for Eclipse Thoroughbreds and the Estate of Albert Frassetto, the 5-year-old The Grey Wizard will be making his first start over the local turf course in the Jerkens.
The Ginger Wizard will complete his 3-year-old campaign Saturday while looking to rebound off a disappointing ninth-place finish as a tepid favorite under entry-level allowance conditions in his U.S. debut going 1 3/16 mile over the turf at Keeneland on Oct. 25. The Ginger Wizard began his career in his native Ireland, where he won his maiden in impressive fashion, by 8 1/2 lengths in his fourth start while traveling 1 1/2 miles over soft ground on Aug. 17 at Tramore.
The Grey Wizard, who toted 148 pounds to victory in the Forbes, was assigned high weight of 126 pounds for the Jerkens, 13 more than his younger brother will carry.
The Grey Wizard is one of four horses entered in the Jerkens exiting the Forbes, along with Lord Flintshire, Dean Martini, and California Frolic, who finished third, seventh, and 11th, respectively. Lord Flintshire, trained by Keri Brion, came within a length of upsetting The Grey Wizard despite drifting out during the latter stages of the race.
“He’s going to have to run a career best but he’s been doing that, actually. His last two runs, you could argue, were his best,” Brion said. “The key is the distance. The farther he goes, the better he is. He was very tough to the line when just beaten a length by The Grey Wizard in the John Forbes.
“I love him at two miles, especially at Gulfstream Park. His style suits this track.”
Six Minus finished third in the 2023 Jerkens, beaten just a neck by F Five and a nose for second money by McLovin. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Six Minus has gone winless in eight subsequent starts but has finished second in two of his last three outings, including the 1 5/8-mile John’s Call this summer at Saratoga. He will don blinkers for the first time in more than two years while in receipt of six pounds from the favorite Saturday.
Utah Beach, who defeated allowance company going 1 1/2 miles in his only start over the local course, returns as a key contender following a third-place finish going the same distance in the Grade 3 Sycamore on Oct. 11 at Keeneland.
◗ Saturday’s card opens with the $130,000 U.A.E. President Cup for Arabian horses. The field is led by the 2023 winner of the event, Diamond Gem Aa A, a two-time American Arabian Horse of the Year who looms a prohibitive favorite from his outside post with jockey Carol Cedeno aboard.
Diamond Gem Aa A is one of four horses his trainer, Jerenesto Torrez, entered in the race, a group that includes the filly Rb Malexis A, winner of the Grade 3 Texas Oaks on Aug. 16 at Retama Park.
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