Brendan Walsh, a former assistant to Eddie Kenneally, saddled his first winner as a trainer when Sandcastle won the fifth race March 2 at Gulfstream Park, a maiden special weight event.
“It’s a dream of a lifetime to train a winner. To have one here is fantastic,” said Walsh, who went out on his own in October and has 10 horses at Gulfstream’s satellite training facility at Palm Meadows. “We have some nice horses. Hopefully, there’s a little more to come.”
Walsh's maiden win came with a Massachusetts homebred owned by Mrs. James B. Moseley in a six-furlong test for fillies and mares worth $40,500.
Sandcastle, ridden by Julien Leparoux, drove to the lead inside the final eighth of a mile to win by three-quarters of a length at odds of 15-1. The daughter of Mizzen Mast was timed in 1:10.75 on a fast track.
“She’s a nice filly,” said Walsh, a 38-year-old native of Ireland. “I’m just glad that I have the opportunity.”