Bumper day for Saffie Joseph Jr.

Jun 12, CMC – Barbadian trainer Saffie Joseph Jr enjoyed a bumper day at Gulfstream Park on Sunday, capturing the US$65 000 Ginger Punch Stakes as part of a triple.

The 34-year-old tasted his success courtesy of jockey Edgard Zayas who won the Ginger Punch in race five with a 7-1 chance Tamarindo and followed up with victories in race six with favourite Mish and in race eight with another favourite Midnight Bella.

Joseph came close to another win in race 11 over a mile and sixteenth when Zayas missed out by a neck aboard 7-1 bet Hard to Fathom, as favourite Grande Soiree took the win.

The returns moved Joseph to 30 wins for the season, keeping him narrowly ahead of his main challenger Jose Francisco D’Angelo by two.

He opened his account in the first of the day’s two stakes races when Zayas combined with four-year-old bay filly Tamarindo to beat the three-year-old and upward fillies and mares by 1-¼ lengths.

Going a mile and 70 yards, Zayas sat Tamarindo off the pace as 19-1 long shot Prudent Song posted the early fractions before being caught on the far turn by favourite Beth’s Dream.

Beth’s Dream and Prudent Song duelled in the stretch before Zayas brought Tamarindo with a strong run to beat out his challengers at the wire.

Joseph’s second victory came in race six over seven furlongs, Zayas producing a front-running effort aboard six-year-old roan gelding Mish to get the better of the four-year-olds and upward.

His third win was another narrow affair, Zayas carrying six-year-old bay mare Midnight Bella to a three-quarters of a length score over the four-year-old and upward fillies and mares, in a contest over a mile and 70 yards.

Midnight Bella chased 14-1 pacesetter Swoonata from second before 4-1 choice Thataint Tooshabby joined them in a stretch battle eventually won by Zayas.

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