Gulfstream Park has many named important programs on its Championship Meet schedule – Florida Derby Day, Pegasus World Cup Day, Fountain of Youth Day, and several more. Yesterday could easily have been named Double Diamond Farm Stallions Day.

    On Gulfstream’s nine-race program, three races were won by runners by Double Diamond sires, a track record was broken, a race was won by a city block, another track record was threatened, and one of the stallions reached a career milestone.

    Race No. 2: Tyler Gaffalione began a personal four-win afternoon aboard Running Memories, a 4-year-old filly by Bahamian Squall whom owner Donald Dizney purchased for a bargain $20,000 at the 2020 OBS July sale as a 2-year-old. Gaffalione took Running Memories out quickly and she passed the furlong markers on the lead in :22.45, :45.36 and :57:34, en route to a 3 1/4-length victory over 3/5 favorite Richies Great Girl. Her final clocking of 1:03.71 set a track record for 5 1/2 furlongs over Gulfstream’s new Tapeta all-weather surface. 

    Stakes-placed Running Memories raised her career record to 5-1-1 in 11 starts, and the winner’s check of $22,700 increased her earnings to $158,275.

    Race No. 4: Gaffalione struck again two races later with Spirit Wind, a 3-year-old daughter of Bahamian Squall who was breaking her maiden in her second start for owner/breeder Jacks or Better Farm, following a long layoff. Spirit Wind emulated Running Memories, going to the lead, and passing the poles in :22.39, :45.07 and :56.73 while widening her margin all the way to the wire. At the finish, she was an eye-opening 15 1/2 lengths in front and her clocking of 1:09.19 was just one second off the six-furlong track record.

    In her debut last May, Spirit Wind had finished second in a 4 1/2-furlong race that also came within one second of the track record. She’s earned $40,680 in the two starts.

Race No. 7: Steel City Dude, a 3-year-old gelding by First Dude ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, finished second in a race at ‘about’ 1 1/16 miles over the turf course, then was moved up to first by the stewards after being mugged repeatedly down the stretch by Wicked Fast. As the two battled coming to the wire, Wicked Fast first bore out and bumped Steel City Dude, then drifted out again and caused Steel City Dude out even farther. Since the final margin was only a neck, the stewards determined that a disqualification was warranted.

    Steel City Dude now sports a record of 3-2-0 in six tries, with trainer David Fawkes having started him once at Gulfstream each month since September. Despite a victory in his previous race, the gelding owned and bred by J. J. Brevan Stable paid $21.20 and earned a check for $25,600, raising his bank account to $79,990. He received an Equibase ‘E’ speed figure of 91, best of his six races. 

    With Steel City Dude’s payday, First Dude’s career progeny earnings reached $21,021,082.