Pairs up leading picks — Khozalite & Prost

Gulfstream Park Press

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL — Jose D’Angelo has his star on the rise. Like a barn catching a mid-meet hot streak, the buzz is obvious.

Profiled in Forbes magazine as a standout within the Thoroughbred training ranks, the 35-year-old horseman has watched his operation expand. A month ago he landed back-to-back Breeders’ Cup victories worth a combined three million dollars, the sort of surge any bloodstock outfit points to during a breakout.

Describing the season as remarkable, D’Angelo noted that roughly seven years have passed since he arrived from Venezuela and led over his first winner. He added that the team keeps grinding and the stock keeps improving, yet they still feel there is more to prove, as many emerging outfits will admit.

For eight of eleven entrants, the In Reality at one mile and one-sixteenth will serve as a first spin around two turns, a classic stamina test. On Saturday, D’Angelo plans to dispatch the favored duo Khozalite and Prost in the In Reality, a three hundred thousand dollar finale to the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

Sharing top billing on an 11-race racecard is the My Dear Girl division of the FTBOA Sire Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, also worth three hundred thousand dollars. Arindel’s homebred Mythical figures to be a heavy choice, think co-main event energy.

Owned by Half Hollow Stables LLC and ProRacing Stable, Khozalite comes in off a four-length triumph on October 18 in the second split of the FTBOA Sire Stakes, the seven-furlong Affirmed. By Khozan, he graduated at a mile on turf Aug. 30 in start number two, a clear-margin sort of win many juveniles use to move forward.

Although Khozalite already handled two turns on grass, Prost reaches the In Reality off an Oct. 11 unveiling in which he drew off by nine lengths at seven furlongs, a daylight margin for a first-timer.

Together at Palm Meadows on Saturday, Khozalite and Prost breezed a relaxed five-eighths in 1:03.30, a maintenance move.

D’Angelo said the longer trip should not bother Khozalite because he managed it well on grass, an edge for babies at this stage. He added that Prost was professional first out despite not being fully cranked, and he expects both to run huge on Saturday, for example with strong finishes.

Edgar Zayas takes the call on Khozalite, while Miguel Vasquez pilots Prost, a common pairing at this meet.

Brad Cox has entered the maiden The Town, a Win Win Win colt purchased for one hundred fifty thousand dollars at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale of 2-year-olds in March. Owned by Sabby Racing LLC, Madaket Stables, LLC, and Commonwealth Racing, LLC, The Town debuted at Keeneland on Oct. 24 in a $150,000 claimer at three-quarters of a mile; after a tardy break, he rallied from last in a twelve-horse field to be second. Emisael Jaramillo gets aboard, and the colt shows three recent drills in South Florida at Payson Park, which handicappers often note.

Squire returns for Patrick Biancone in the In Reality after a runner-up finish to Khozalite in the Affirmed. The Leinster colt had previously been second in the Royal Palm Juvenile on turf, then finished fifth in the Dr. Fager — the opening leg of the FTBOA Sire Stakes — and fifth again in the Hollywood Beach, a résumé mix that often hints at versatility.

Camigol, from the Antonio Sano barn, placed third in the Saratoga Special (G2) after breaking his maiden at the second ask at Gulfstream. Back from Saratoga, he took third in the Dr. Fager at three-quarters and then trailed the field when last in the Affirmed most recently, a pattern that can happen as class rises.

Sano explained that a gate mishap compromised that effort; he was jostled, came back with a slight mouth bleed, and then recovered well back at the barn. He added that the hope is for a clean trip this time, like when a horse avoids bumping at the break.

Edwin Gonzalez has the mount on Camigol for Saturday’s running.

Arindel aims to sweep the Sire Stakes finales with Mythical in the My Dear Girl and the homebred Hawk in the In Reality. Hawk, a son of Adios Charlie who remains a maiden, ran fourth in the Affirmed in his second career start and then missed by a head on Nov. 8 in maiden company. The Carlos David trainee will be ridden by Joe Bravo, a logical assignment.

Gold Miner, entered by Riley Mott, is slated to debut in the In Reality. Trelawny scored at first asking for trainer Jose Pinchin in July and has since been third in the Dr. Fager and fifth in the Affirmed, a tough spot sequence that should aid experience.