Gulfstream Park’s Royal Palm Meet resumes Saturday with Viking returning to action after a commanding performance in the Smile Sprint, where the five-year-old captured his South Florida debut with a front-running display. The Alex and JoAnn Lieblong-owned runner now faces a new challenge as he stretches out to a mile in the $70,000 Black Diamond Cat overnight handicap.
Black Diamond Cat Handicap Preview
The one-mile contest for horses aged three and older is the featured event on a nine-race programme at Gulfstream Park, with the first race scheduled for 12:20 p.m. Viking will attempt to maintain the momentum gained from his impressive sprint victory while stepping up in distance around one turn.
Black Diamond Cat Handicap race preview focuses on Viking’s return to competition following his breakthrough performance at Gulfstream Park.
Bred from City of Light, a horse who earned more than $5.7 million during his racing career, Viking was purchased for $450,000 as a yearling. The bay colt began his career in the Midwest, recording two victories from nine starts before moving to Florida-based trainer David Fawkes in the spring.
Viking’s early outings in 2026 produced mixed results. He finished a close second in a one-mile allowance event at Oaklawn Park on February 26 before encountering trouble and finishing eighth over 1 1/16 miles on March 28. A change of surroundings, however, helped bring about a sharp turnaround.
Trainer David Fawkes, who has enjoyed a successful association with the Lieblong family, saw clear improvement after Viking joined his stable. The partnership previously celebrated major success with Florida-bred Reef Runner, a Grade 1 winner who is currently sidelined due to injury.
Following several preparatory workouts at Gulfstream Park, Viking returned to sprinting for the July 4 Smile Sprint. Breaking sharply, he controlled the pace with fractions of 21.81 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.52 seconds for the half-mile before drawing clear in the stretch.
Viking crossed the finish line 4½ lengths ahead of his rivals, completing the six furlongs in 1:09.71 over a fast main track. The performance marked his first stakes success and confirmed the improvement shown since arriving in Florida.
The son of City of Light exited the race in good condition and completed an easy half-mile workout in 49.13 seconds on July 25. Leonel Reyes has been booked to ride from Post 4, with Viking carrying 123 pounds and listed among the leading contenders in the seven-horse field.
Fawkes believes the move back to a mile should not prove a major concern, especially with Viking remaining around one turn.
“He has put on weight, become much sounder and is enjoying his training,” Fawkes said. “The one-turn mile should suit him, and having a good draw helps.”
Among Viking’s main rivals are Classic of Course and Rolando, who both competed in the Smile Sprint. Classic of Course, trained by Patrick Biancone, finished second in that event and enters from Post 2 with jockey J.G. Torrealba aboard. The seven-year-old Rolando, drawn on the inside with Diego Herrera, previously won Gulfstream Park’s Big Drama Stakes over seven furlongs.
Steal Sunshine, owned by Michael and Jules Iavarone and TCC Stables, will make his 40th career start in the Black Diamond Cat. The seven-year-old arrives after finishing third in the Wildcat Red overnight handicap and has strong credentials at the mile distance, including a victory in the 2024 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2).
French-bred Divin Propos is another notable entry, making his first appearance on dirt after 21 starts on turf. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the six-year-old gelding has previously earned a Grade 3 placing and returns after competing in the Barbados Gold Cup.
The field is completed by Fiveeyesonskystars, a recent seven-furlong winner at Gulfstream Park, and multiple stakes-placed Awesome Train.
The race honours Black Diamond Cat, a Florida-bred campaigner who competed from 2009 through 2015. During his seven seasons on the track, he recorded nine victories, including five stakes wins, while earning $500,579 for Bluestone Thoroughbreds and trainer Larry Bates.
Saturday’s Black Diamond Cat Handicap will provide Viking with an important test as he attempts to build on his recent breakthrough and establish himself among Gulfstream Park’s leading older runners.
For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to RaceBuzz