The early morning air at Gulfstream Park carried a buzz of anticipation on the eve of the Championship Meet, as horsemen chatted across the saddling area and grooms shared hopeful glances. Excitement swelled around Friday’s Rainbow 6 jackpot pool, projected to rise to approximately $275,000 — a figure that added both tension and thrill to the lead-up to the day’s racing.
Plenty of eyes will turn towards the final race of the sequence, where the $100,000 Pulpit Stakes takes centre stage. It’s here that Behold the King and Skipping Stars, fierce rivals and familiar foes, return for another chapter in their developing rivalry. The pair last met in the Armed Forces on November 1, where Behold the King produced a measured stalk-and-strike run to edge Skipping Stars by half a length. Both return older, sharper, and with unfinished business to settle.
Behold the King and Skipping Stars headline Pulpit Stakes rematch
Friday’s Pulpit Stakes over 7½ furlongs brings together some of the most promising juveniles of the winter turf scene. Behold the King — never worse than runner-up in five starts — again meets a determined Skipping Stars, whose early speed nearly proved decisive last time.
Trainer Jose D’Angelo will not rely solely on his leading colt. He also saddles Uncle Aldo, fresh off graduation, and Bronze Bullet, who arrives off an eye-catching debut followed by a luckless second. Todd Pletcher introduces Sunrise, a Saratoga winner seeking redemption after a troubled Laurel Futurity trip, while Nolan Ramsey presents Shipmate, the maiden winner who turned heads with a commanding score last time out.
Momentum rising among horsemen
With the Championship Meet underway, several stables showed early sharpness on opening day. Trainer Brian Lynch secured two victories, headed by Sister Troienne who impressed in the $100,000 Wait a While Stakes. Moon Spun, returning after more than a year away, delivered a powerful comeback win in Race 5 — one that drew appreciative applause from railbirds who know toughness when they see it.
Jockey Emisael Jaramillo also wasted no time making his presence felt, steering Insolenta and Vindicate Cha Cha to consecutive front-running successes in Races 6 and 7. His confident hand-rides and assertive positioning marked him as one to watch as the long season stretches ahead.
A meet already full of storylines
With young turf prospects emerging, barns finding rhythm, and the Rainbow 6 jackpot pool tracking toward Friday’s $275,000 expectation, Gulfstream Park steps into the season with momentum. The Championship Meet has only just opened, yet-already, it feels like something is building — rivalries, form cycles, rising talent, and the whispers of futures being shaped.
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