Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Preview: Look Out For Leinster

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – His six rivals will all be looking for a way to topple the deserving favorite Leinster in Saturday’s $100,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3).

The Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint is a 5-furlong dash across the lawn open to all horses ages 4 and up. This year’s edition is the sixth event on a 12-race card and has a local post time of 2:34 PM.

Here’s a look at the full field for the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint:

1. Smart Remark 8/1 – His 2021 debut comes on a footing that hasn’t proven to be his forte; his turf record is just 16-1-3-2, with that lone victory coming while making his career debut in August 2017 going 1 mile at Indiana Grand. His most recent victory came October 2018 in a Keeneland optional claiming sprint, but elite jockey Jose Ortiz still sees fit to ride.

2. High Crime 5/1 – He returns to turf after finishing last of 12 in a Churchill Downs optional claiming sprint last November, an odd spot considering he was exiting a strong Keeneland turf sprint allowance score a month prior. With his rail draw and his early turn of foot, expect him to be featured prominently early. He has a 4-2-0-2 record going 5 1/2 furlongs on grass.

3. Harry’s Ontheloose 6/1 – He defeated fellow Florida-breds in an optional claiming turf sprint at Gulfstream Park West last October in his first start back in the barn of trainer/breeder Herman Wilensky. He was most recently third in a Claiming Crown turf sprint stakes in December and fourth in the Janus Stakes on New Year’s Day, both held over this course and distance.

4. Borracho 20/1 – He gives turf a second try despite finishing last of 12 last time out while going 1 mile over this course on January 23. Trainer Rusty Arnold shows faith by keeping him on the surface while cutting him back to sprinting, which should be to his benefit: all 3 career wins came going one turn on dirt. Jockey Joe Bravo keeps the mount for the second straight start.

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5. Shared Legacy 20/1 – He gives stakes action another try in his 2021 debut, a lofty attempt for a 5-year-old who’s still eligible to enter a first-level allowance. His lone victory came over this course and distance last April, but he only hit the board twice in 6 subsequent tries, including finishing a non-factoring 12th behind Leinster in last July’s Shakertown Stakes (G2).

6. Leinster 3/5 – He won 2 straight graded stakes sprinting on the Keeneland lawn last year and entered the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) as the favorite, finishing third by just 1 length despite a rough stretch trip. He’s unraced since last November but has routinely fired big while fresh, and while he lost his lone local turf try, it was also his debut and came routing.

“I think (the Gulfstream course) should suit him well,” said trainer Rusty Arnold. “He’s got two track records and they were both in (the summer), one at Keeneland and one at Saratoga (the Troy Stakes [G3]). They were both on hard ground, and that’s the way he likes it.”

7. Inter Miami 8/1 – He tries turf for the second time (and first for new trainer Georgina Baxter) after finishing last of 12 here in last March’s Cutler Bay Stakes. In his defense, not only was that a two-turn route, he also took a bad step in the far turn that caused him to lose all momentum while racing on the front end. If he breaks cleanly, then he’ll likely help set the tempo.

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