HALLANDALE BEACH—Champion Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph Jr continued his relentless march through the Gulfstream Park season in Florida on Friday, picking up yet another triple at the southeastern United States oval.
The 37-year-old, the runaway championship leader, logged victories in race one with favourite Andrea, in race two with another favourite Sunroof before rounding out his success in race six with favourite No Mo Candy.
With the success, Joseph shot 40 clear at the top of the standings on 72 wins, with his closest challenger being Jose Francisco D’Angelo on 32.
Last season, Joseph racked up 66 wins in winning the title, finishing 11 clear of D’Angelo.
He opened his account in a 5-½ furlong sprint when Emisael Jaramillo carried the brown filly Andrea to a 6-½ length crushing of the two-year-old maiden fillies in a front-running performance.
Six-to-one chance Neodera challenged briefly at the half-way stage but Andrea pulled away in the stretch to win going away.
Joseph’s second win came courtesy of jockey Edgard Zayas, the experienced rider combining with the five-year-old bay mare Sunroof to post a 1-½ length win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
Going a mile and 70 yards, Good Bright Flames and My Royal Vow duelled through fractions of 25.70 seconds, 51.52 and 1:15.95 before Zayad bid on the far turn and reeled in the leaders in the stretch.
Zayas was in the saddle yet again for Joseph’s third win, guiding three-year-old bay filly No Mo Candy to a narrow victory over the three-year-old and upward maiden fillies and mares, going a mile and sixteenth.
No Mo Candy stalked pacesetter Tap My Belle, bid on the turn and grabbed the lead passing the eighth pole before holding on to win by a neck.
CMC
