Reef Runner under Reylu Gutierrez. (Ryan Thompson)
New gelding 5F Turf Dash in the first race since May 1
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
Hallandal Beach, FLA. -Alex and Joann Lieblong’s 4-year-old Stakes-Winning HomeBred RifloperBack as a new gelding in his first race since May 1, horses that run home and won steadily ground through the job to take the lead in deep and to register a decisive victory in the $ 70,000 Warrior’s Pride of Sunday in Gulfstream Park.
It was the first victory for Reef Runner ($ 8.20) since he took the Bob Umphrey Sprint on the Tapeta for all weather conditions last fall and tries his third in 10 career on the Gulfstream Turf, where he never finished worse than third.
“The resignation, because it all helped, helped it all,” said winning trainer David Fawkes. “If we can just get him to change his leads. He has and has not won, so I tell myself that he might just be better off. But I think the gelding really helped him more than anything.”
Jockey Reylu Gutierrez established the Rifloper along the Rail in the fifth when El Apagon Alert broke out of his inner pile and took the field from nine to a quarter of miles in 21.52 seconds. And Uwish, upset winner of the 5 ½ Furlong Successful native native Overnight Handicap on Tapeta July 6, gave closest to the nearest chase with Louie the Sun King Racing three wide in third place.
“I liked it that he came in and saved the ground. It was a dream trip. It really helped that he did not get any traffic. He is a nice horse, but traffic beats you every time in races,” Fawkes said. “He is a cool horse and Reylu drove him perfectly. No complaints. He is a smart rider.”
Gutierrez gave Reef Runner his sign when horses were to surround the long turn and still had some work to do after half in 43.53 seconds, but was oriented under a steady ride to Edge past and Uwish and El Apagon and won in 55.10 about a solid course.
“Our horse broke very well and pushed everyone’s hand,” said Gutierrez. ‘I stopped behind [And Uwish] And ran at the end. ‘
And Uwish hit Abrir Caminos for second place, followed by El Apagon, Louie the Sun King, El Principito, Rouki, Asher’s Edge and 2-1 Favorite Extendo. Sultan the Great was scratched.
Bred in Florida, Ref Runner improved his general record to five wins, four seconds and five thirds from 18 Starts. He walked three times during the 2024-2025 championship, finished third in the Janus and Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint and second through a nose in the side run. The Lieblongs also campaigned with his father, The Big Beast, for a profit of grade 1 in the King’s Bishop 2014 and grade 1-places in the 2015 AG Vanderbilt and Veego, all at Saratoga.
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