HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – One of the more shocking results of the 2024 Gulfstream Park racing season was orchestrated by Rouki, a 3-year-old Florida-bred who rebounded off a 31 3/4-length setback against statebred allowance company to spring a 50-1 upset against similar opposition in his first start over the Tapeta surface in the eighth race here Sept. 21.
The horses who finished a close second and third in that event, Fulanito and Eastbostonbenny, will try to bounce back from their rather stunning defeats when taking on seven other Florida-breds in Sunday’s featured ninth event, carded at five furlongs over the synthetic track.
Rouki, who had rebounded from a similarly disastrous race in his career debut to win his maiden by six lengths at second asking earlier this season at Tampa Bay, Downs, stalked the early leaders before rallying down the center of the course to overtake Fulanito en route to his improbable half-length victory here last month.
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Fulanito, who had won his maiden by a nose in wire-to-wire fashion in his previous start, turned in a big effort in defeat. He contested all the pace, struck the front between calls at midstretch, but could not resist the winner’s final surge while in turn holding a neck advantage over the rail-skimming Eastbostonbenny.
Fulanito figures to have plenty of company on the front end once again Sunday with speedsters like David’s Song and Hours for Sure among the opposition. A contentious pace would likely give the lightly raced but steadily improving Junction Road and the well-seasoned Ensign Parker the best chances of nailing down the victory in a wide-open race.
Junction Road has improved dramatically since switching from turf to Tapeta following a fifth-place finish in his debut. The 3-year-old son of Girvin finished third, just a length behind Fulanito, when trying statebreds for the first time Aug. 11 before returning to earn his diploma with a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure four weeks later.
Trained by Rohan Crichton, Junction Road tuned up for his first start against winners with a razor-sharp 47-second half-mile gate work last weekend.
Ensign Parker notched his sixth career victory, easily best in this lineup, when also back on the synthetic track in his most recent start, rallying to a game nose decision over Neophyte and a strong field of open $12,500 claiming rivals while earning a near career-best 80 Beyer in the process. He is back with statebreds Sunday for the first time since being claimed for $20,000 out of a fourth-place finish over the main track here March 3.
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◗ Beth’s Dream, among the probable contenders for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, tuned up for the event breezing an easy half-mile in 50.20 under the cover of darkness Friday.
Beth’s Dream suffered her first setback in five starts this year when second best behind the Filly and Mare Sprint-bound Soul of an Angel as the odds-on choice in the Grade 3 Princess Rooney, a Win and You’re In, on Sept. 21. The 6-year-old homebred Beth’s Dream is trained by Victor Barboza Jr. for owner Virginia Gamble.
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