4 wins for Saffie to open Championship Meet

Barbados’ Saffie Joseph Jr got the latest racing season at Gulfstream Park off to a solid start with four victories over the weekend at Hallandale Beach, Florida, USA. The 37-year-old began chasing his fourth consecutive title at this meet when action got underway on Thanksgiving Day, last Thursday.

Joseph’s four wins came from 17 entries, a 24 per cent success rate. Venezuelan Victor Barboza Jr also had a remarkable start to the meeting with three wins out of eight for 38 per cent effectiveness.

Puerto Rican jockey Edgard Zayas, a favourite Joseph collaborator, had six wins to lead the table over his fellow countryman Edwin González, the recent champion of the whips at the Sunshine Meet. González collected five wins.

Zayas kicked the weekend off with a win in the fourth race on Friday, a Starter Optional Claiming, on Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained filly Deetz. She completed the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:05.88.

On Saturday, Zayas and Joseph doubled with Silver Moonlight in the second race, a $50,000 Claiming. Zayas claimed one other win on Saturday.

Joseph and Zayas linked up for two more wins to start the month of December.

Bear Claw Necklace, in the sixth race on Sunday, battled back to win in 1:25.78 over seven furlongs for owners Peachtree Stable and Stefania Farms. The Maiden Special Weight carried a $65,000 purse.

In the 10th race, Timely Reward won by a distance going over a mile to claim the $26,000 purse. Owned by Joseph, Timely Reward went 1:39.86 for a second straight win, last having raced at Gulfstream in October.

Gulfstream Park’s acclaimed Championship Meet, highlighted by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), runs until March 30, 2025.

(TF)