Bernie Dickman

Helen and Joe Barbazon are the breeders of Sparkle Sammy, who scored an impressive victory at Woodbine yesterday to become the 11th winner of 2018 for Poseidon’s Warrior. The 3-year-old filly went wire-to-wire under Eurico Da Silva, opening up a 3 1/2-length lead in the stretch and winning by 4 1/2 in :58.52 seconds for the five furlongs on the all-weather track. Sparkle Sammy “had command under restraint,” according to the Daily Racing Form chart, and “was never challenged.” 

It was the first start in more than five months for Sparkle Sammy, who was a $32,000 OBS June 2-year-old. Her maiden victory was worth $13,020 in Canadian funds, $10,197 U. S. 

Poseidon’s Warrior’s 10th winner of 2018 came at Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico on May 3 when Harlan Ruler proved to be a ton the best in a $27,000 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs in the mud. With Juan Diaz in the irons, the 3-year-old colt bred by Teamwork Racing Company stalked the early pace, then swept into the lead and drew off with authority, reaching the wire 4 1/4 lengths in front to score his first career victory. The $5,336 winner’s check helped Poseidon’s Warrior surpass the $500,000 mark in progeny earnings for the year. 

Blouberg Beach, a 3-year-old daughter of Treasure Beach bred by Pleasant Acres owners Helen and Joe Barbazon and the Treasure Beach Syndicate, scored her second victory in her last three starts at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday and earned a check for $7,800 for owners Robert M. Lloyd and Hemingway Racing. Blouberg Beach, trained by Ian Hemingway, broke on top from the rail and enjoyed a wire-to-wire trip in the one-mile race on the turf, winning by a neck in 1:37:74.

Anthony’s Cross gained his first stakes-placed runner when Yeehaw finished a bang-up second yesterday in the $100,000 FTBOA Silver Charm Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The 3-year-old colt was off second under Samy Camacho, but took the lead on the backstretch, then hooked up in a fierce battle with Boston Breeze which continued down the stretch. Yeehaw put his rival away late, but was unable to hold off Noble Drama, who closed with a rush and nailed Yeehaw by one-half length at the wire, clocked in a solid 1:40.34 for the mile and 40 yards. Yeehaw, a $40,000 OBS August yearling, earned $20,000 for second and raised his total to $84,940. 

Freshman sire Handsome Mike’s first runner became his first winner today when Saint Michael went virtually wire-to-wire in the sixth race at Gulfstream Park. The 2-year-old colt had been working well for Monarch Stables and was sent off as the 9/10 favorite under Miguel Vasquez. Saint Michael broke alertly from the No. 1 post and was immediately tackled from the outside by Big Drink of Water. The pair raced head-and-head around the turn while opening up daylight on the rest of the field, then Saint Michael drew off in the stretch to score by two widening lengths. It was another seven lengths back to third-place finisher Benji. The final time of :52.37 was just over a second off the track record for the distance, and Saint Michael collected $27,650 for the sterling effort.

Handsome Mike is a son of red-hot sire Scat Daddy, who has four runners entered in tomorrow’s Kentucky Derby. Pennsylvania Derby winner Handsome Mike won or placed in nine stakes and earned more than $1 million. He  stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions for $5,000.

Firenze Fire drew the No. 1 post for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby and will have talented Paco Lopez in the saddle. The Florida-bred colt by Poseidon’s Warrior has won four races and earned $669,100 – only Audible (5) has won more in the 20-horse field. Firenze Fire is one of just three runners in the field not bred in Kentucky. The others are Flameaway (Ontario) and Audible (New York). The colt owned and bred by Ron Lombardi’s Mr Amore Stables has won the Gr. I Champagne Stakes, the Gr. III Sanford and the Jerome, and was second in the Gr. III Withers.

All it took for Don’s Beach to break his maiden was a switch from the turf course to the main track at Tampa Bay Downs. After his first two Oldsmar starts of 2018 on the grass produced fourth-place finishes, the 3-year-old Treasure Beach gelding scored his first victory at Tampa yesterday when his mile and one-sixteenth test was moved to the dirt course. With Mike Allen riding, Don’s Beach was off second, then inherited the lead on the backstretch when the pacesetter incurred a problem. The gelding bred by Stonehedge Farm continued on in front and held off a late surge by the runner-up to win by a head, earning a check for $8,390.

Despite breaking to the outside and hitting the starting gate, and later getting pinned down on the rail in the stretch, Navy Commander finished a neck behind second place last night in the $85,000, 7-furlong Robert Hilton Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Casino at the Charles Town Races. The 3-year-old gelding by Poseidon’s Warrior was coming off two straight victories and had Javier Castellano aboard looking to make it three in a row. After the unfortunate break, Navy Commander sat in third place down the backstretch and was chasing the leader into the stretch, but was unable to shift to the outside and had to settle for third. He collected a check of $8,490 for owner/breeder Swilcan Stables and now sports a record of 3-0-1 in eight starts with earnings of $102,338.

Haley’s Thunder became the third winner in a span of seven days for Anthony’s Cross, the 3-year-old filly breaking her maiden at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday in her fourth career start. She was bumped leaving the gate but still managed to battle for the lead early, then took the lead on the final turn and drew off to score by 1 1/2 lengths. Haley’s Thunder earned $6,280 after negotiating six furlongs in 1:11.69, plus getting a breeder’s award for Carol Hershe.

Crossed overcame a layoff of nearly six months to break her maiden yesterday at Indiana Grand Race Course in her fifth career start. The 3-year-old Indiana-bred daughter of Anthony’s Cross captured a $34,500 allowance race by one-half length with Santo Sanjur in the saddle, despite forcing the pace on the outside for most of the six-furlong race. She survived a speed duel after posting fractions of :22.65, :45.85 and :58.85, and despite falling back heading into the stretch, found another gear and rallied to get up in time, clocked in 1:12.58. Owned and bred by Just for Fun Stable, Crossed collected $20,700 for her second victory.

Yeehaw had turned in several good performances without a victory, including a second in his previous start, and it was obvious it was going to be just a matter of time before the sharp colt by Anthony’s Cross would break his maiden. That happened at Tampa Bay Downs yesterday as the 3-year-old colt overcame the sloppy track and romped to his first victory in a maiden special race at a mile and 40 yards. Yeehaw sat a good stalking trip behind the two leaders under Samy Camacho, and when the rider asked him to run on the turn, it became no contest. He drew off to score by 4 1/2 lengths, and as the official chart noted, Yeehaw was coasting at the wire. The $40,000 OBS August yearling collected $27,500, boosting his earnings to $64,940.