Gulfstream Park will present a 10-race programme on Saturday, with the action scheduled to begin at approximately 12:20 p.m. ET. The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint will stand among the principal attractions on the card, with the five-furlong stakes carrying a purse of $100,000 and bringing together several runners with notable records at the South Florida track.
The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint will be one of three stakes contests on the programme. The card will also include the $225,000 Princess Rooney Stakes (G3), a Breeders’ Cup Challenge event for the Filly & Mare Sprint, adding further significance to an afternoon that will bring together established performers and promising contenders.
Itza Boss Will Return in Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint
Itza Boss will make his return to racing in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint after a period away from competition. The four-year-old gelding, owned by Fugget About It Racing and bred in Florida, will be trained by Jose D’Angelo and will arrive with a record marked by consistency and versatility.
The son of Valiant Minister will have three victories and three second-place finishes from eight career starts. He will also have avoided defeat by more than three and a quarter lengths in any of those appearances, underlining the reliability that will make him an interesting contender on his return.
His record over five furlongs will provide an additional source of confidence. From five starts at the distance, Itza Boss will have collected three wins and two seconds, giving him an unbeaten record when confined to the trip.
Itza Boss will have started his career with three appearances at Gulfstream Park as a two-year-old, finishing second twice. After a three-month break, he will have secured his maiden victory in November 2024 by half a length over stablemate Gabaldon. That rival will subsequently finish second in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.
The gelding will then have spent a lengthy period away from racing before returning in October 2025. His next four starts will have produced two victories and a second-place finish, followed by his most recent appearance in February.
D’Angelo will have taken a patient approach with Itza Boss, allowing the horse additional time before bringing him back to the races. That careful preparation will be reflected in the trainer’s expectation of further improvement.
The likely pace of the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint will also be an important consideration. Itza Boss will be expected to settle close to the leaders rather than force the early tempo, with a contested pace potentially giving him the opportunity to produce his strongest finish.
Thought Control Will Take First Stakes Step
Thought Control will add an intriguing dimension to the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint when he makes his first appearance in stakes company. The four-year-old son of Gun Runner will be trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and will arrive following an emphatic turf debut victory on May 10, when he will have prevailed by three and a quarter lengths.
Thought Control will be a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Englishman and will be out of the Speightstown mare In It for the Gold. His debut performance will have produced a 100 Beyer Speed Figure, giving him a notable foundation as he moves into stronger company.
Joseph will have considered sending the gelding to Saratoga during the summer but will instead have chosen to give him more time before directing him towards Gulfstream Park. The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint will consequently represent a significant rise in class, but Thought Control will enter with the credentials to make the transition an interesting one.
His ability to reproduce the level of his debut performance will be central to his prospects, particularly against rivals carrying considerably more experience at Gulfstream Park.
Rezasrolex Brings Proven Florida Form
Joe Orseno will have a strong presence in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint, with Rezasrolex joined by Mattingly and Extendo.
Rezasrolex will bring one of the most substantial records in the field. The five-year-old son of Bucchero will have won at Gulfstream Park in both June and July before finishing eighth in the Troy Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on August 9.
Earlier in the summer, he will have returned from Keeneland following an appearance in the Shakertown Stakes (G2). Despite those outings away from Florida, his record on home soil will remain particularly noteworthy.
Rezasrolex will have won 11 of his last 13 starts in Florida and finished second in the other two. Such a record will make him one of the most accomplished Gulfstream specialists in the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint.
Esperon will add further depth for trainer David Braddy. He will have recorded one victory, one second and two third-place finishes from his last five starts when sprinting at Gulfstream Park.
Rouki will complete another interesting part of the field for trainer Gerald Bennett. He will have finished only half a length behind Extendo on August 9 and will have previously won over the same course and distance on July 25 by three and a quarter lengths.
The Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint will therefore bring together a well-balanced group with contrasting credentials. Itza Boss will return with an impressive record at five furlongs, Thought Control will take his first step into stakes company, and Rezasrolex will arrive with an outstanding record in Florida.
The five-furlong contest will place a premium on early speed, positioning and the ability to sustain a finishing effort. With several runners already proven over the Gulfstream turf, the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint will provide a meaningful test for both established performers and those seeking to establish themselves at stakes level.
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