Shuffled back to last place in the early stages, jockey David Egan relaxed the filly with a moderate pace of :24.93 and :48.48. The odds-on favorite was in the lead Secaan which seemed to round the far bend. Was in hot pursuit Nycon a promising filly achieving her first victory.
It looked like those two would decide it out over time, but Egan kept moving forward and crashed the party as they turned for home. With the advantage of being on the outside, she defeated those rivals for a neck victory over Nycon, who was again a neck away from Secane.
She completed the mile in 1:39.94 and paid $31.60.
After taking four starts at Gulfstream to break her first – which happened on the grass – trainer Patrick Biancone sent Haute Diva to Keeneland to contest the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) in October. She was comprehensively beaten in sixth place that day, but returned to the grass two months later and ran a solid second in the compensation company when she was beaten just a neck over a mile. Biancone said the grass races were purely to give her more distance in her races.
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“She is a very talented filly. We have had her for a long time and we know that,” Biancone told Gulfstream publicity. “The problem she had is that she was very difficult on the track, difficult to saddle, difficult to get to the start. Through running and learning she gradually got better.”
Next up for the filly will be the Kentucky Oaks (G1) trail, as Biancone named the $150,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) as the next target ahead of the March 28 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2).
WinStar Farms Constitution who is eligible this year for a sum of $110,000, had the honor of being the first stakes-winning sire of 2026.
Video: Fasig-Tipton Cash Run S. (BT)
Alpyland continues its winning streak in Dania Beach
The year also started well for Spendthrift Farm’s Vekoma who will represent $100,000, as his 3-year-old son Alpyland extended his win streak to three in the $150,000 Dania Beach Stakes.
Alpyland wins the Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park
The win capped a three-win day to start the year at Gulfstream for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, who then added a win in Oaklawn Park‘s Oaklawn Sports Overnight Stakes with Do not destroy just minutes later.
Fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez was aboard DJ Stable-owned Alpyland and made a perfect stalking trip in third place as favorite Honey Dutch raced away and set a pace of :22.71 and :44.79. As the field behind him began to move forward in the turn, Velazquez released his mount and rode alongside the favorite. Honey Dutch held firm in the lane, but Alpyland had the upper hand in the last sixteenth and pulled away to a 1 1/2 length victory. He stopped the clock in 1:31.89 for a mile on the firm grass and paid $9.80 to win. Zeppelin came third.
After two losses on dirt to start his career, the bay colt has come alive on the grass as he continues his winning streak.
“This colt is improving mentally and physically every month. He will be one of the nicest stallions we have in the stable,” DJ Stable’s Jon Green told BloodHorse.
After six starts, Alpyland still does not have the same rider in the saddle. Green praised Velazquez for his “masterful driving” despite never having boarded the colt.
“He had Alpyland slow down and pushed him to get the jump on Knoty Knicks in the corner,” Green said. “Those two decisions made it an easier race to win. There’s a reason he’s a Hall of Famer; he put on a race clinic in this stakes.”
Green said the next start for Alpyland will likely be the $175,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes on Jan. 31 or the $175,000 Colonel Liam Stakes on Feb. 28 – both races at Gulfstream – with the main targets being the Kentucky races in the spring.
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