HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida, USA—Champion trainer Saffie Joseph Jr continued his charge towards yet another Gulfstream Park title when he logged three wins on the nine-race card Friday.
The 37-year-old Joseph won with 3-1 choice Love Miami Love in race one, favourite Beastly Speed in race six and another favourite American of Course in race eight, to complete his impressive hat-trick of wins.
There was disappointment for Joseph in the feature US$95,000 Carry Back Stakes, however, when favourite Catalytic was edged out by a head by 8-1 bet Real Macho.
With the success, Joseph moved to 51 wins—21 clear of nearest challenger Jose Francisco D’Angelo —in the season which wraps September 29.
He raised the curtain on the programme with a one-two, when the four-year-old bay filly Love Miami Love beat stablemate Fourway Stop by 2-¾ lengths over a mile and 70 yards.
Up against the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares, jockey Edgard Zayas raced Love Miami Love near the rear through the half mile in 46.51 seconds before chasing the field, catching the leaders at the sixteenth pole and storming to the finish.
Barbadian jockey Teshawn Hazelwood then handed Joseph his second win when he combined with four-year-old bay gelding Beastly Speed to edge stablemate, 5-1 bet Crypto Men, by a nose going a mile for the three or four-year-olds and upward.
The 26-year-old Hazelwood, a former champion apprentice in his homeland, stalked the pace set by Crypto Man and Uncaptured Star before chasing down Crypto Man to win on the head bob.
Joseph’s third victory came in a 5-½ furlong sprint when Zayas carried seven-year-old chestnut mare America of Course to a crushing 5-¼ length win over the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares.
American of Course chased down 23-1 longshot Holy Coffee to lead turning for home, and dominate the stretch run.
There was no such joy for Joseph in the feature, Catalytic just missing out and his other entrant, 7-1 choice General Ledger, finishing down the field. (CMC)
