HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – WinStar Stablemates Racing’s Gulf Coast successfully stretched out after a pair of sprints to start her career and became a stakes winner for the first time in Friday’s $75,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park.
The one-mile Cash Run for newly turned 3-year-old fillies was the second of three $75,000 stakes on the New Year’s Day program, preceded by Imprimis winning the Janus for 4-year-olds and up and followed by Hear My Prayer’s victory in the Abundantia for fillies and mares 4 and older, both sprinting on the turf.
Irad Ortiz Jr. swept all three stakes as part of a five-win afternoon to open the calendar year. The Championship Meet’s two-time defending leading rider, Ortiz is favored to win a third straight Eclipse Award later this month as North America’s champion jockey.
Ortiz began his big day notching back-to-back wins aboard 4-year-old first-time starter and 4-5 favorite Luann ($3.80) in Race 5 and 3-year-old filly Lionessofbrittany ($13.20) in Race 6.