A lively Friday programme at Gulfstream Park produced two notable performances, with promising juvenile filly Hot Rod Honey maintaining her unbeaten record in the $100,000 Sharp Susan, while the consistent Back Em Up finally earned a deserved stakes success in the $70,000 Wildcat Red.
Gulfstream Park race results.
Making her first appearance at stakes level, Hot Rod Honey confirmed the promise of her debut victory with another polished display over 5½ furlongs. The two-year-old filly, owned by Troy Johnson, Wendell Yates and Robert Fritts, tracked the early pace before producing a determined finishing run to overhaul the front-running Columbina and score by an impressive 4¼ lengths.
Prepared by Carlos David and partnered by Leonel Reyes, the daughter of first-crop sire Roadster broke sharply from the inside draw and settled comfortably behind the leader throughout the backstretch. Columbina appeared firmly in control after opening a three-length advantage turning for home, but Hot Rod Honey steadily reduced the margin before asserting inside the final furlong to remain unbeaten after two career starts.
David was delighted with another professional effort from his young filly, noting that her ability to settle behind the pace before finishing strongly was once again a key factor in victory.
Hot Rod Honey completed the journey in 1:08.08, with Columbina holding second under Diego Herrera. Elegante Miz finished third, while the David-trained Boots, sent off as the favourite after showing early speed, faded to fourth.
The trainer also believes there is still considerable improvement to come from the lightly built youngster, who continues to develop with racing.
Later on the card, Back Em Up delivered a thoroughly deserved breakthrough victory in the $70,000 Wildcat Red, ending a sequence of near misses in stakes company with an authoritative success over the one-turn mile.
Owned by Keough and Meaney together with TCC Stables, the Bobby Dibona-trained four-year-old gelding had filled the runner-up position in three previous stakes contests, including narrow defeats earlier this season. This time there would be no denying him.
Ridden with confidence by Samy Camacho, Back Em Up settled in third as Roar of the Beast dictated the early fractions ahead of longshot Icelander. Camacho gradually improved his position approaching the final bend before asking his mount for maximum effort turning into the home straight.
The response was immediate as Back Em Up swept past the leaders and steadily increased his advantage to record a convincing 3¼-length victory in 1:37.13. Racing Driver finished second, while Grade 2 winner Steal Sunshine completed the placings ahead of Roar of the Beast, Icelander, Nothingsubtle and Lightning Tones. The Thor, I Know I Know and Fiveeyesonskystars were withdrawn before the race.
Dibona expressed satisfaction after seeing his stable star finally secure another stakes success following several narrow defeats in recent months. He also praised the performance of Steal Sunshine, who finished strongly but found his stable companion too good on the day.
The Wildcat Red Stakes honours the accomplished Florida-bred runner Wildcat Red, whose racing career included victories in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and Hutcheson Stakes (G3), along with several top-level placings before retiring to stud.
Friday’s Gulfstream Park race results highlighted both emerging talent and established consistency. Hot Rod Honey strengthened her reputation as one of the meeting’s most exciting juvenile fillies, while Back Em Up’s commanding display rewarded the patience shown by his connections after a string of close finishes.
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