Gulfstream Park Picks | Texas Glitter Stakes 2024

When last seen at Gulfstream Park last May, Wathnan Racing’s Crimson Advocate and Bregman Family Racing LLC and Edge Racing’s No Nay Mets earned trips to Royal Ascot while winning the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies and the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile, respectively, automatically qualifying to compete during Great Britain’s most prestigious meet five weeks later.

The George Weaver-trained duo return to Gulfstream Park this weekend in five-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-olds: Crimson Advocate in Sunday’s $100,000 Melody of Colors and No Nay Mets in Saturday’s $100,000 Texas Glitter.

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Crimson Advocate, who won the five-furlong Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies by 3 ½ lengths, defeated 25 other 2-year-old fillies in the Queen Mary Stakes (G2), holding on to win by a nose after setting the pace.

“It was a big accomplishment for our barn,” said Weaver, a multiple graded-stakes winner who has amassed 982 victories since going out on his own in 2002 after serving as an assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

The daughter of 2016 Florida Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Nyquist was turned out after her remarkable feat at Royal Ascot before returning in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita, in which she set the pace before fading to sixth.

“She’s been training very well since the Breeders’ Cup,” Weaver said. “We’re very happy with her.”

Crimson Advocate is scheduled to meet 10 other sophomore fillies with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez aboard. Velazquez rode the Weaver-trained filly to victory at Royal Ascot.

Although No Nay Mets finished off the board in the Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Ascot, a five-furlong turf dash his sire, No Nay Never, won in 2013, the Weaver trainee went on to establish himself among the top juvenile sprinters on turf in subsequent starts.

No Nay Mets returned from Europe to score dominating front-running victories in the five-furlong Tyro at Monmouth Park and the 5 ½-furlong Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs before coming up short to finish fourth in the Nov. 3 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Santa Anita. He is slated to make his first start since his first stateside loss while facing seven other 3-year-olds in Saturday’s five-furlong turf dash.

Edgard Zayas is scheduled to ride No Nay Mets, the 8-5 morning-line favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds, for the first time Saturday.

Their performances in their weekend stakes could lead to another trans-Atlantic journey.

“Both Crimson Advocate and No Nay Mets are candidates to go back [to Royal Ascot],” Weaver said. “If it comes together, we’ll go.”

Once again, the Royal Palm Juvenile and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies will provide the winner with an automatic berth in one of six juvenile races during the prestigious Royal Ascot meet in England as well as a $25,000 equine travel stipend. Both races will see purse increases to $120,000.

“We’ve got a few [2-year-olds] that we’re looking at,” Weaver said, “but it’s still a little far away.”