It was a very good day for Marty Wolfson.
The trainer had two horses entered in the $300,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30, and they finished one-two in the 1 1/8-mile turf event (VIDEO).
Interestingly, Wolfson won the race with Jet Propulsion, who in his last start at Calder Casino & Race Course was claimed for $50,000 for Farnsworth Stables LLC. The Florida-bred 7-year-old gelding by Double Honor had back class—and earnings of almost $400,000—but clearly Wolfson picked a good one at the right time.
Jet Propulsion, ridden by Julien Leparoux, displayed his usual early speed in the Turf. He took the early lead, at one point had a five-length lead, and basically coasted home an easy winner.
The Wolfson-trained Pickapocket, owned by Martin Cherry, chased his stablemate in the lane but came up short. Kent Desormeaux rode Pickapocket; Leparoux had ridden him in his last two starts. Picou and Soldier's Dancer rallied for third and fourth, respectively.
The fractions on a firm course were :24.21 for the opening quarter-mile, :48.23 for the half-mile, 1:11.18 for six furlongs, and a quick 1:33.93 for a mile. The final time was 1:45.96.
Jet Propulsion paid $8, $5.40, and $4 as the second choice in a field of nine.
“I’ve been watching this horse for a couple years,” Wolfson said of Jet Propulsion. “He has beaten up on horses of mine a number of times. I never thought he’d be dropped in for a tag, but when he was, I took him with this race in mind.
“He has settled down a lot in the last six weeks. I don’t have anything in mind for him right now, but I think a mile-and-an-eighth might be his best distance.”
“I was happy, but not surprised, that they didn’t come with me in the first turn,” Leparoux said. “We got an easy lead and that was good for us. At the three-eighths pole I started to go, and I kind of looked back a couple of times on the final turn to see if they were coming, but they weren’t. My horse made a big move, and we won easily.”
Favored Soldier’s Dancer was in his usual position early but didn’t have enough late kick.
“I liked how he ran out of the gate; he came out good,” jockey Manoel Cruz said. “But the track was fast and the pace didn’t help. The race didn’t come out exactly the way we wanted.”
Jet Propulsion has won 13 times in 45 starts, with 10 seconds and three thirds.