Gulfstream Park will present a 10-race programme on Saturday, with unbeaten two-year-old Sum of Success set to attract attention as his connections consider a possible move to turf and a potential appearance in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland on October 30. The Sum of Success Breeders Cup plans will remain under consideration as trainer Bobby Dibona prepares the Florida-bred colt for the next stage of his development.
Sum of Success will enter the weekend with three victories from three starts on dirt. Owned by K Johnston Racing, Michael and Jules Iavarone and Hopeless Stables, the Gulfstream Park-based colt will be considered for the one-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Dibona will plan a turf workout for the colt at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, before the connections make a decision on his next target.
Luis Saez will be brought in to work Sum of Success on the turf, giving the trainer and owners an opportunity to assess how the colt handles the surface. Sum of Success will have raced exclusively in one-turn dirt contests, but the shorter one-mile distance of the Juvenile Turf will provide an alternative to the 1 1/16-mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on dirt.
The colt will have built an unbeaten record through his first three starts, winning those races by a combined 24 1/4 lengths. His victories will have come at distances ranging from five to seven furlongs, with his recent successes including the Express Tour on September 5 and the In Summation on August 10. Both races will have been restricted to state-bred runners.
His performance in the In Summation will also have produced a Beyer Speed Figure of 87, which will rank among the top 10 figures recorded by two-year-olds in the country this year. That early record will give his connections plenty to consider as they assess whether the colt can transfer his form from dirt to turf.
Dibona will take a patient approach following a health issue after Sum of Success’ latest start. The colt will have become ill during the race and will have received treatment with antibiotics afterwards. His trainer will therefore allow his condition and training progress to guide the preparation rather than rushing him towards a specific target.
For Dibona, a possible Breeders’ Cup appearance will also represent an important career opportunity. Originally from Boston, he will have recorded 511 victories and more than $14 million in purse earnings from over 2,700 starters since beginning his training career in 2001. He will have trained graded-stakes winners including Actin Good and Hard Enough, while Steal Sunshine will continue to approach $1 million in purse earnings. A Breeders’ Cup starter, however, will remain an achievement yet to be added to his career record.
Sum of Success Breeders Cup Plans Add Interest to Gulfstream Card
Saturday’s Gulfstream Park programme will also feature two maiden special weight contests containing several well-bred two-year-olds. Here Comes Barry will make his debut in Race 1, a five-furlong turf contest for juveniles. Trained by Victor Barboza Jr., the son of Charlatan will be a half-brother to multiple-stakes winner Greenwich Village.
His dam, Houtzen, will have won two Group 2 races in Australia and will also have produced Greenwich Village, a three-year-old son of Quality Road who will have won two consecutive turf stakes at Santa Anita earlier in the year. Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, Here Comes Barry will have been purchased by Arcadia Michigan Stable for $80,000 at the 2026 OBS March Sale.
Barboza will also send out Dr. d’Oro, a debuting son of Bolt d’Oro, in the nine-horse field. Patrick Biancone-trained Elijah will make his debut after preparing at Palm Meadows, while Saffie Joseph Jr.’s Coralline will return after finishing fourth on dirt in his first start.
Race 8 will provide another six-furlong maiden special weight for juvenile fillies and will include several runners with strong family connections. Starship Sephora, trained by Jose D’Angelo, will make her debut as a daughter of Epicenter and a half-sister to graded-stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Finite.
Fausto Gutierrez will be represented by Germaine Lass and Charming Charlotte, both daughters of Into Mischief. Germaine Lass will enter after a fourth-place finish at Colonial Downs and will be a half-sister to graded-stakes winner and Grade 1-placed Tyson. Charming Charlotte will make her third start and will be a half-sister to millionaire Atone, winner of the 2022 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.
Scottish Lass will also make her debut for Joseph. The Summer Wind Equine LLC homebred daughter of McKinzie will have completed a half-mile workout in 46.65 seconds at Palm Meadows in preparation for her first appearance.
Race 9 will provide a five-furlong turf allowance contest for fillies and mares. Pure Elegance will return from a six-month break and will make her first start for Joseph after winning an entry-level allowance over one mile on turf at Gulfstream Park. She will arrive with two wins from two starts at the track.
Sunglow will also return after an 11-month absence following two victories in Southern California before making her first Gulfstream appearance. The Saturday programme will therefore combine the possible next step for Sum of Success with a strong collection of juvenile prospects and returning performers across the card.
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