Ride a Comet Unleashes Solid Kick in Tropical Turf

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – John Oxley and My Meadowview Farm’s Ride a Comet unleashed a solid late kick to win Saturday’s $100,000 Tropical Turf Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Ride a Comet broke from post 3 under Tyler Gaffalione as the 2.1/1 slight favorite over the 2.2/1 second choice Casa Creed; both stalked while Frostmourne set the early pace.

 Ride a Comet made his move in the far turn on the outside of Casa Creed, who used his position to take first crack at Frostmourne at the top of the stretch.

Casa Creed took over at the 1/8 pole, but a persistent Ride a Comet rode a strong head of steam to get up in the late stages before ultimately crossing a 1/2-length clear on the wire.

The Mark Casse trainee completed the firm turf mile route in 1:33.62.

“He’s push-button,” Gaffalione said. “He’s all class. Mark was very excited about this race. When I got to the paddock, (assistant trainer Nick Tomlinson) said, ‘This is a good one.’ They knew what they had. I just rode him with a lot of confidence and he got the job done.”

Running well in defeat, Casa Creed was 2 1/2 lengths better than the rest. Frostmourne took third in a similarly strung-out result.

Hay Dakota, Flying Scotsman, Doctor Mounty, Admission Office, and Tusk completed the order of finish.

Analyze It was scratched.

Ride a Comet’s win was his fourth straight dating back to the 2018 Del Mar Derby (G2), his final start before missing 25 months and returning with a pair of victories at Woodbine including the Kennedy Road Stakes (G2). The 5-year-old intact son of Candy Ride improved his record to 13-8-0-1 with $479,084 earned.

“We were very confident in him,” Tomlinson said. “His last work was just unbelievable. It takes a really good horse to do what he does. He goes out there and shows it every morning. He’s such a class act. Just to be around him every day is truly a blessing.”

Ride a Comet returned $6.20 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.80 to show. Casa Creed brought back $3.40 to place and $2.60 to show, while Frostmourne paid $3.20 to show.