Veteran athlete returns with Mac Diarmida, The Very One

by John MB O’Connor astronaut the graded bet winner on both of his previous single-distance attempts, looks set to win three in a row and help coach Tom Albertrani win his third career win at the Mac Diarmida (G2T) $200,000 on March 4 at Gulfstream Park.

The 1 3/8 mile Mac Diarmida for kids ages 4 and up on grass is the eighth of nine bets, eight types, $1.85 million in wallet on a blockbuster 14 card race due to the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2).

After a long layoff, Astronaut returned last fall in the Del Mar Mile (G2T) and has been replaced. After that race, he finished third in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) at 67-1 odds before taking a 15-1 lead in the Red Smith Stakes (G2T) over Thanksgiving weekend.

“He ran a big race last time. Actually, his last two races were really good,” Albertrani said. “He looks like he’s really improved since coming back from California. He’s been training really well. We gave him a little rest and helped him get a little bit fresher and he did. He did a great job. We’re delighted to see him come back and run on Saturday.”

Albertrani won Mac Diarmida in 2018 with Sadler’s Joy and 2014 with Twilight Eclipse, both of whom have retired as multi-millionaires. The astronaut himself hit more than half the numbers in seven figures, having made $511,860 from 14 starts with three wins and five seconds, including the 2021 San Juan Capistrano (G3T) in the run. his bet eye.

“He likes to be around and he has a lot of fitness to go with it,” said Albertrani. “The way he runs in Red Smith, I can tell he’s taken the lead easily and has a lot of work to do. Maybe he could even go a little longer, who knows. .”

Luis Saez was assigned to ride the Astronaut from column 7 in spill field 13.

Eclipse and Alex Daigneault’s Purebred Partner Abaan is a two-time Gulfstream bet winner, having brought two-mile H. Allen Jerkens to the finish line in 2021 and William L. McKnight (G3T) to the opening in 2022. He’s been undefeated since. there, finishing fourth in last year’s Mac Diarmida and most recently ninth after coming under pressure before January 28 during his McKnight title defense.

The Astronaut’s familiar enemy would be Masterpiece , who finished in second place behind the winner of the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) match two summers ago. He was purchased exclusively for a partnership led by Michael and Jules Iavarone after the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1T) in 2022, where he finished eighth, to run in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1T) on May 1. January 28 at Gulfstream.

In the 1 1/8 mile Pegasus Turf, Master Piece found himself falling behind the field after some initial trouble but rallied to finish ahead of five horses while running in seventh place. , defeated only three distances. Expiate .

Already a record three-time Mac Diarmida winner with Zulu Alpha (2019-20) and Temple (2022), coach Mike Maker joined the trio. Bemma’s son , Value engineering And evil fast .

If her last two races are any indication, e Purebred race year’ Temporary could be sitting on her career-first bet win in Saturday’s $150,000 The Very One Stakes (G3T) game.

Coached by Joseph, Transient has been narrowly beaten in her last two starts, both of which count. She ran in third place with 1 1/2 lengths after setting the pace in Maple Leaf Stakes (G3) more than HoneysuckleThe surface of all weather last fall, then was beaten to a pulp when she finished second in La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) on January 28 at Gulfstream in her 5-year-old debut.

“She’s a stout person that since we’ve had her she’s been running well. She tries very hard and likes these longer distances,” said Joseph. “She will need to improve again, but we feel like she can.”

Tyler Gaffalione will ride the Transient back from lesson 6 in field 10.

Among those standing in the way of Transient is a trio trained by Chad Brown. Virginia joy , Higher Truth And My queen . Peter Brant’s Virginia Joy was a group 3 winner in her native Germany before heading to the US, taking her first domestic bet win with an extended decision in The Very One last winter. She went on to win Sheepshead Bay (G2T) and Flower Bowl (G2T) before ending 2022 with an eighth place in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T), her most recent start.

Team Hanley, Jeff Drown and Michael Ryan’s Higher Truth are entered for a second start since October 2021 and the first since winning the required 1 3/8 mile grant in July 2019. look over Belmont Park pitch.

Michaela Faust’s Mylady is the winner of the German three, who finished third by less than a distance in last year’s German Oaks (G1) before heading to the US. -mile EP Taylor (G1T) in October at Woodbine.

This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.