There was a touch of redemption in the Florida sunshine on Saturday, as Classic of Course — a colt once pegged as a turf talent — proved he might just have a new future on Gulfstream Park’s main track. For trainer Patrick Biancone and owner Amy Dunne, the victory in the $70,000 Awesome Banner Handicap wasn’t just another win; it was a turning point for a horse rediscovering his best stride.
“I think we’re where we need to be,” Biancone said with quiet satisfaction after his 3-year-old charge powered home to a late-surging half-length triumph in the mile feature.
Classic of Course had long teased potential. He placed in both the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes legs — the Affirmed and In Reality — yet struggled to land a major win until his turf breakout in March’s Cutler Bay Stakes. That success prompted Biancone to test deeper waters, sending him to the American Turf (G1) on the Kentucky Derby undercard, where the colt faltered badly. A flat fifth in Gulfstream’s Not Surprising Stakes followed, and a midseason break seemed inevitable.
“In the spring, he was one of the best 3-year-olds,” Biancone reflected. “But when he stopped running to expectations, we just gave him a rest. Now he’s back — stronger, fresher, and ready for the winter meet.”
Returning in style, Classic of Course captured a two-turn Tapeta allowance on September 28 before finishing third in the Mr. Jordan Handicap on dirt last month. This time, however, tactics were cooler, patience rewarded.
Under Jonathan Ocasio, the colt dropped back early in the five-horse field, relaxed behind Roar of the Beast and Steppe, who dueled for control. As they turned for home, Ocasio swung wide, asked his mount for more — and the response was electric. The son of Awesome of Course surged home, stopping the clock at 1:37.57 while carrying joint top weight of 122 pounds.
“We’ve been schooling him to handle dirt kickback,” Ocasio said. “At the quarter pole, I still had plenty of horse. Once I asked, he just rolled.”
Steppe battled gamely for second, a neck ahead of Roar of the Beast, as the even-money favorite Classic of Course found new purpose — and perhaps a new surface — to call home.
Monster Makes Light Work of Tapeta Debut
Earlier in the afternoon, Arindel’s Monster, a stakes-placed juvenile familiar to turf racing fans, turned the Tapeta track into his playground. Under Samy Camacho for Jose D’Angelo, the 2-year-old colt bolted to the lead and never looked back, galloping clear by 4¾ lengths in 1:02.92 for 5½ furlongs.
The victory continued a remarkable run for D’Angelo, fresh from Breeders’ Cup glory with Shisospicy and Bentornato at Del Mar.
“We wanted him to relax better,” D’Angelo explained. “He’s fast, but before, he’d run with his head too high. The bit change helped him settle — and today, he finished with more left.”
Stablemate Bronze Bullet, the 6-5 favorite, chased late for second. Monster, by Leinster, had earlier shown flair with a nine-length turf maiden win and minor placings in Saratoga’s Skidmore and Gulfstream’s Hallandale Beach. D’Angelo smiled when asked about what comes next: “He’s fast — that’s always a good problem to have.”
Sunday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Grows to $75,000
Punters have another reason to watch Sunday’s card at Gulfstream Park, with the 20-cent Rainbow 6 carrying an estimated $75,000 jackpot after rolling over for the second straight day. The sequence spans Races 6–11, highlighted by a seven-furlong optional claimer for Florida-breds featuring Raging Fury, Etendre, and Cajun’s Cookin.
First post is at 12:20 p.m. sharp.
Among jockey highlights, Rajiv Maragh notched a Saturday double aboard Slender Slipper and Militia, moving him to 1,996 career wins, while Camacho also doubled with Monster and Carentan.
Read more Gulfstream Park racing stories and national updates at RaceBuzz.
