Saffie Joseph Jr crowned champion trainer at Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida (CMC) — Barbadian champion trainer Saffie Joseph Jr captured his fourth consecutive Championship Meet title and his 12th consecutive title overall at Gulfstream Park over last weekend.
The 37-year-old won the Championship Meet title with 70 victories and also topped the trainer standings by purses won with more than $5.8 million.
“This has definitely been our best meet because this is the first time we’re going to lead in earnings and winners.
“I think last year we got beat by a small margin in earnings, so it just shows that we have some quality horses,” Joseph said.
“All the credit to the owners for giving us the horses. We’re very thankful to them.”
Joseph won three Stakes races with a combined purse of US$165,000 on Saturday with White Abarrio, Implementation and
Movin On Up.
With Ortiz Jr in the saddle, White Abarrio won Race 7, the Grade 3 Ghostzapper Stakes over 1,700 metres by five and a quarter lengths, in a time of 1:41.97.
Implementation then captured the Grade 2 Army Mule Stakes, with the six-year-old bay gelding surging from the middle of the pack to win the 1,400-metre sprint by two and a half lengths in 1:22.48.
Movin On Up then brought Joseph more success by winning the 1,700-metre Sand Sprint Stakes by three lengths in a new track record of 1:38.01.
Meanwhile, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr collected his third-straight Championship Meet title with 109 wins and Ken Ramsey topped the owner standings for a second Championship Meet in a row with 18 wins.
The Royal Palm Meet will get underway April 3 and will run through August 30.
