Trainer Joe Orseno hopes the post Sticky McShnickens drew for Friday’s ninth race at Gulfstream will be a game changer.
He will start from the widest post in the field of eight for the first-level allowance for Florida-breds at five furlongs on turf. One race prior, Sticky McShnickens was beaten a head at this level after breaking from an inside gate and setting the pace.
“I’m very happy with the post,” Orseno said of Friday’s positioning. “I like it because the last time we used him too much, and I think that’s what got him beat. Now, being on the outside, he’ll be able to dictate what he wants to do. If nobody goes, fine, but I prefer just sitting on the outside.”
Sticky McShnickens will be moving back to turf after racing on Tapeta, and he’s run well on the grass in the past. The race will be one of the final turf offerings before a brief pause on turf racing.
“He does both,” Orseno said of the surfaces.
Sticky McShnickens last raced May 29 and has since logged a pair of half-mile maintenance moves leading up to Friday. Edgard Zayas has the mount on the son of Bucchero.
“He’s training great,” Orseno said. “He’s on top of his game.”
Speaking of game, Sticky McShnickens gets his name from a film clip featuring Adam Sandler in which the term is used to define the emerging sport of baseball.
“It’s the funniest scene I’ve ever seen,” Orseno said of the clip, which can be found online by searching his charge’s name. “It’s a great name.”
Orseno said Harlan Malter of Ironhorse Racing Stable named Sticky McShnickens.
“Harlan pitched [college] baseball,” Orseno said. “That’s how he came up with the name.”
Others set to start include Fast Fixer, who edged Sticky McShnickens last out. Fast Fixer will start from post 3 after winning last time from post 8.
Pajaro, a debut winner at five furlongs on turf, will also get good support Friday.
Debut winner eyes stakes
Orseno saddled the 2-year-old filly Spinelli to an impressive debut win earlier this month at Gulfstream Park, and she is set to advance to stakes company in her next start at either Woodbine or Monmouth Park.
“She’s going to breeze over the weekend,” Orseno said. “We’re looking at the My Dear at Woodbine or, if she’s not ready for that and needs a little more time, then she’ll run in probably the Colleen at Monmouth.”
Spinelli, who races for D. J. Stable, debuted June 5 and led throughout for a 4 3/4-length win in a Tapeta race over five furlongs.
“It was supposed to be a turf race,” Orseno said. “It rained and came off, switched to Tapeta at Gulfstream, and she went to the front and won it was easy. It was just easy, and she ran a 70 Beyer and for a first-time starter 2-year-old filly. That’s not bad. She was very impressive. She’s by Upstart. She’s a pretty filly.”
Extendo to Gulfstream
Extendo, who won consecutive allowances at Gulfstream before finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Jaipur last out at Saratoga, has returned to the South Florida track, Orseno said.
The horse is being pointed for the $70,000 Successful Native, an overnight handicap over 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. It is scheduled to be run July 6 at Gulfstream.
“We brought him back for that,” said Orseno.
Extendo is 6 for 10 on synthetic surfaces. He last raced on Tapeta in March and won an allowance at Gulfstream. Extendo, who is multiple stakes-placed, races for Robert Cotran.
◗ Gulfstream allowance winner Makeit to Cheyenne is set to run in the $100,000 Tom Ridge on Monday at Presque Isle, said Orseno. The 3-year-old gelding, by Liam’s Map, finished seventh last out in the William Walker on April 30 at Churchill.
“We went to Churchill Downs on Derby weekend and [caught] soft turf and he didn’t get to run his race,” Orseno said. “I freshened him up off that and picked this race as his first race back.”
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