Pleasant Acres breeding program enjoying great success

Joe and Helen Barbazon earned their second breeders’ award at Gulfstream Park in less than 24 hours when Emirates Affair won yesterday’s fifth race under Rafael Hernandez. That followed the victory of Charlotte the Brit in the ninth race on Thursday.

The 4-year-old Handsome Mike filly settled into third place leaving the gate in the race at ‘about’ five furlongs on the Tapeta surface and sat chilly in the three path as the two pacesetters battled through a :22.30 quarter. Hernandez sent her three wide on the turn and Emirates Affair assumed the lead at the top of the stretch, then coasted to a 1 1/4-length score in :57.95, just 53 hundredths off the current track record.

Handsome Mike’s seventh winner of 2022 was worth $17,100 to Emirates Affair and her career total rose to $93,410 on a record of 2-6-2 in 18 starts. She paid $11.60.

The Barbazons had also partnered with Ed Seltzer and Beverly Anderson for a non-breeders’ award victory by Blissful Change (Treasure Beach) at Fair Grounds on Thursday, making it a three-win two days for the Pleasant Acres breeding program.