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| Staff Writer |
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O'Connor is set to compete in the US$150,000 Gr.3 Harlan's Holiday on Saturday, with a chance to qualify for the US$3 million Gr.1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational on 27th January at Gulfstream Park.
The upcoming race card at Gulfstream’s main track promises to be an exciting one, with the Harlan’s Holiday taking center stage. The race will see 3YOs and up compete over a distance of 1 1/16-miles. Alongside the Harlan’s Holiday, the program will also feature the US$200,000 Ft. Gr.2 Lauderdale, which is a prep event for the US$1 million Gr,1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational, as well as the US$150,000 Gr.3 Suwanee River, the US$125,000 Rampart, and the US$100,000 St. Augustine Handicap.
O’Connor, owned by Michael Iavarone and partners, enters the Harlan’s Holiday following an impressive performance in the Gr.2 Fayette at Keeneland. The Chilean-bred son of Boboman settled behind the pace before surging late to win by a head in the 1 1/8-mile stakes. Tyler Gaffalione rode him to victory, which was his first win since dominating in his U.S. debut by eight lengths in October 2022.
According to trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., O'Connor looked comfortable throughout the Keeneland race and traveled well for Tyler. If he can replicate that performance, he has a good chance of winning the upcoming race as well.
Last year, O'Connor finished fourth in the Harlan's Holiday after winning his U.S. debut. He then had a disappointing run in the 2023 Pegasus World Cup before finishing as a runner-up in the Gr.3 Ghostzapper at Gulfstream, where he closely followed the pace throughout.
“The Ghostzapper last year, it was a bit of a surprise to see him that close to the pace. I think he’s better coming off the pace,” Joseph said. “He was so impressive in his [U.S.] debut, but then he lost form. He ran OK after that. The Ghostzapper was an OK run but still disappointing.”
O'Connor had to take a break for several months due to surgery for an entrapped epiglottis. However, he eventually made a strong comeback by finishing third in the Gr.3 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer. He then secured an impressive second place in the Gr.2 Charles Town Classic, just behind his stablemate Skippylongstocking. Unfortunately, O'Connor's chances were dashed in the Gr.2 Woodward at Aqueduct due to a poor start.
“He ran good at Charles Town. In the Woodward, everything went wrong, then he came back and won at Keeneland. That was his best race, obviously, so far,” Joseph said. “If he can duplicate something like that, he can be competitive.”
O'Connor will have Tyler Gaffalione as the jockey in the upcoming race. Ny Traffic, a 6YO son of Cross Traffic, is a scheduled participant in the Harlan's Holiday race. Trained by Joseph and owned by John Fanelli and partners, Ny Traffic recently won an allowance race at Aqueduct after being on a year-long break from racing. The horse finished second in the Hudson race after the victory. Ny Traffic will be competing in a two-turn race for the first time in over two years. The horse has previously won multiple stakes at sprint distances.
“He’s in good order, first of all. He ran some good route races before we cut him back,” Joseph said. “Now that he’s come back and run a couple of good races, we decided it was a good time to try him again around two turns. He’s won at this distance at Gulfstream, so he’s 1-for-1. It’s a perfect scenario to see if he wants to run two turns again.”
Ny Traffic, a 6YO son of Cross Traffic, had a successful run in 2020. He won a 1 1/16-mile allowance at Gulfstream on November 1, 2020, and was graded stakes-placed in the Gr.2 Risen Star and Gr.2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, Gr.3 Matt Winn at Churchill, and Gr.1 Haskell at Monmouth. However, he finished off the board in the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby and the Gr.1 Preakness and was eventually converted into a sprinter. Hall of Famer Javier Castellano will be riding Ny Traffic in the upcoming race.
Dubyuhnell, a 3YO son of Good Magic owned by West Paces Racing LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC, will also be participating in the Harlan's Holiday race. After a six-month layoff, he made a successful comeback by winning an optional claiming allowance at Keeneland on 28th October, 2021. In the 1 1/8-mile race, he was forwardly placed and took the lead in the stretch, eventually winning by a length over next-out winner Denington.
“He ran really well. He had been training with a 2YO we are really high on,” trainer Danny Gargan said. “You never know going a mile and an eighth coming off that big of a layoff. He’s going well coming into this race, so hopefully, we’re competitive.”
Dubyuhnell, a remarkably talented 2YO, impressively won his second race and followed it up with a victory in the 1 1/8-mile Remsen at Aqueduct. Unfortunately, he struggled in the Gr.3 Sam Davis at Tampa Bay Downs and the Florida Derby before taking some time off from racing.
“He was a very precocious 2YO. He broke his maiden impressively and came back to win the Remsen. He was a very talented young horse. We tried to get on the Triple Crown Trail, but it didn’t play out in his favor. We had to give him a little break that went longer than we anticipated. We’re happy to have him back.”
On Saturday, Luis Saez will ride Dubyuhnell for the first time.
Miles D, a son of Curlin owned by Haras Lizzie Inc., finished second in the Delta Mile on 3rd Nov at Delta Downs in his first start for trainer Amador Sanchez. The 5YO Kentucky-bred had previously been trained by Chad Brown and finished third in the 2021 Gr.1 Travers at Saratoga. Miles D has been in the money in nine of his 11 career starts and won the Discovery at Aqueduct later that season. Leonel Reyes will be riding Miles D.
Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has entered two horses in the Harlan's Holiday: Grand Aspen, a 4YO of Dialed In owned by PRO Thoroughbred Enterprises LLC, and Gasoline, a 4YO gelding son of Curlin owned by Harrell Ventures LLC and CHC Inc. Grand Aspen is coming off of a dominant optional claiming allowance victory at Churchill Downs, while Gasoline had won three of four starts before finishing fifth in the 24th Nov Gr.2 Clark at Churchill Downs. Jose Ortiz will be riding Grand Aspen, while Irad Ortiz Jr. will be riding Gasoline.
My Racehorse and Rocket Ship Racing's Blue Devil has been successful in transitioning from turf and Tapeta to dirt in recent starts. After winning an off-the-turf allowance at Saratoga, the 4YO gelded son of Uncle Mo won another allowance at Saratoga before finishing second in the Gr.2 Lukas Classic at Churchill Downs. The Jeff Hiles trainee is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Clark at Churchill. Junior Alvarado will be riding Blue Devil on Saturday.
The field is rounded out by Arindel's Octane, Carrie Broden, Michael and Julia Iavarone's Steal Sunshine, and Double B Racing Stables' Lure Him In. West Point Thoroughbreds' Signator will be scratched, according to Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.