Gulfstream Park Notes: Full Sister to Turf Star Lady Shipman Sparkles in Career Debut

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Just Talkin, a full sister to multiple-stakes winner Lady Shipman, made an impressive debut Sunday at Gulfstream Park, closing with a rush to capture the third-race, a 7 ½-length maiden special weight race on turf.

Favored at 2-1 in a field of 10 3-year-old fillies, Just Talkin settled in eighth along the front stretch and into the first turn under Javier Castellano before advancing along the backstretch and on the far turn. After splitting horses leaving the turn into the stretch, the daughter of Midshipman launched a wide stretch drive to prevail over that Kitten by a neck.

“I really liked the way she did it today. Not many young horses do what she did today. She went through a tiny hole to split horses. She’s very educated. She didn’t break too sharp. In the first turn she was a little scared by all the horses, but she figured it out quick. At the three-eighths pole, quarter pole, she split horses. She’s very much a mature horse. I like her very much and she’s going to move forward.”

Just Talkin ran 7 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:29.94.

Owned by Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables and Gary Aisquith. Just Talkin was privately purchased from breeder Randall Lowe, who also bred and owns 4-year-old Lady Shipman, who is currently being prepared to run against the boys in the $1 million Al Quoz (G1) at about five furlongs on turf on the Dubai World Cup card at Meydan March 26.

Kathleen O’Connell saddled Lady Shipman for a troubled second-place finish against males in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland. In preparation for her trip to Dubai, Lady Shipman was transferred to Kiaran McLaughlin, who saddled her for victory in the Gulfstream Park Ladies Turf Sprint Feb. 6.

Just Talkin is trained by Chad Brown.

Valid ‘Looking Good’ After Troubled GP Handicap (G2) Defeat
Other than some minor scrapes and cuts, Crossed Sabres Farm’s multiple graded-stakes winner Valid emerged from Saturday’s $500,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) in good order, trainer Marcus Vitali said Sunday.

Making his fourth start of the Championship Meet, the 6-year-old gelding went to his knees in mid-stretch after clipping heels with Anchor Down while making a bid for the lead. The son of Medaglia d’Oro was able to gather himself and get back to running to finish fourth behind upset winner Blofeld.

Favored at 6-5 in the field of seven, Valid was placed third ahead of Anchor Down following a steward’s inquiry, earning $49,000 and moving over the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings, with $1,009,577 from 36 starts.

“The more I watched it, and the more I looked at it last night several times, he was the winner. No doubt in my mind. It’s a tough way to lose a race. It’s unfortunate,” Vitali said. “He looked good this morning. He looked like he was in a little bit of a fight but nothing major. He’s acting good, ate good last night, had a good attitude this morning. It was just unfortunate luck. I’m glad everybody lives for another race.”

Second in both the Hal’s Hope (G3) and Donn Handicap (G1) to multiple Grade 1 winner Mshawish after winning the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes earlier this winter, Valid has placed in the top three in 12 of 14 career starts at Gulfstream Park. Vitali planned to monitor him further before looking at another start.

“We’ll give him another week or two and we’ll make a decision,” he said. “Right now, we’re looking good.”

Wednesday’s Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Stands at $2.635 Million
There was no unique winner of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 Sunday, producing a jackpot carryover of $2,635,571.30 for Wednesday’s program.

A total of $550,293 was wagered Sunday into the Rainbow 6 pool. Multiple winners with all six winners Sunday returned $2,809.82.

Since last being hit for $76,799.38 by one lucky bettor on Jan. 13, the popular multi-race wager has gone unsolved for 39 consecutive programs. The largest payout of the current Championship Meet was $262,634.84 on Jan. 7.

The carryover jackpot is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

Who’s Hot: Jockey Julien Leparoux scored a triple Sunday, winning aboard Mississippi Delta ($19.20) in the fourth, Lightstream ($16.20) in the sixth and Sky My Sky ($4.80) in the ninth. Luis Saez visited the winner’s circle with Lady’s Lunar Luck ($6) in the first and Clear Status ($4.40) in the fifth. Javier Castellano also rode a pair of winners: Just Talkin and Crafty Colonel ($12) in the 12^th.

Trainers Mark Casse and Gustavo Delgado each saddled a pair of winners. Casse visited the winner’s circle with Mississippi Delta and Sky My Sky. Delgaldo scored with Lady’s Luna Luck and Helper Rye ($9.60) in the 10^th.

Jockey Jonathan Gonzales, sidelined since Nov. 28 with a broken ankle sustained in a Tampa Bay Downs spill, returned to the Gulfstream winner’s circle with his very first mount back in action Sunday, scoring aboard All About Yasom ($28.20) in the eighth.

“It’s exciting,” said Gonzales, who captured the riding title for Gulfstream’s inaugural summer meet in 2013 during his apprenticeship. “I feel good. I feel ready. I’m hungry too. I want to win more races.”

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $2,635,571.30

Source: Gulfstream Park