Wolfie's Dynaghost Sets Records in Fort Lauderdale Run

Age is nothing but a number, and in the case of Wolfie's Dynaghost, the 7-year-old son of Ghostzapper is only proving that to be true as he gets better with age. The gelding set a new track record in winning the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 20, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:43.42. The previous mark was held by Warm Heart (IRE), who won the 2024 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes (G1T) in 1:44.45. Gulfstream Park, citing Equibase, said that Saturday's final time was also a North American record for that distance on turf, with the previous mark being set by Kostroma in 1:43.92 on Oct. 20, 1991, at Santa Anita Park. Warm Heart was carrying 118 pounds, Kostroma 117, and Wolfie's Dynaghost 126 "(Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.) told me, 'You did all the hard work and I was just the driver,'" trainer Brian Lynch said. "It's lovely to see an old horse like that just come into himself and get better and better with racing." The win all but ensures Wolfie's Dynaghost a spot in the Jan. 24 Pegasus Turf, going the same distance over the Hallandale, Fla., grass track. "No doubt," Lynch said. "This race was a great steppingstone for it and to run the way he ran today, I think he deserves it." The victor set fractional times of :22.34, :45.84, 1:09.09, and 1:32.35. In the end, Wolfie's Dynaghost fended off a late challenge from Cugino down the stretch to win by three-quarters of a length. Beach Gold was third. Wolfie's Dynaghost paid $3.80 for the win. "He broke on his own. I didn't do too much. He has speed so Brian told me, 'Try to make the lead if you can,'" Ortiz said. "He broke sharp. I let him find his rhythm. He came back to me. He relaxed so well. After that I just let him do his thing and relax until it was time to roll. He was very professional. When we made the second turn he was traveling the same way as he was on the backstretch. Turning for home, I asked him and he exploded." Wolfie's Dynaghost is a Woodslane Farm homebred who is 14-3-5 from 32 career starts and has $1,350,627 in earnings. This year, he is 4-1-0 from six starts, including three straight wins, and $457,738 banked. Ortiz, who won three times Saturday, became the first jockey to surpass $40 million in a year. Crevalle d'Oro Shines Late in Suwannee River A $500,000 purchase last month by TCC Stables and Michael and Jules Iavarone at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale, Crevalle d'Oro wasted little time providing a return on the investment. Rallying down the stretch, Crevalle d'Oro reeled in favored Movin' On Up just strides from the wire for a head win in the $150,000, 1-mile Suwannee River Stakesm, a prep for the Jan. 24 Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) at Gulfstream. The final time was 1:32.31. "She's a special horse," trainer Jose D'Angelo said. "You can see it just from her walk. We were pointing to this race trying to get to Pegasus Filly and Mare. I think it worked perfect." The D'Angelo trainee improves to 3-0-0 from eight starts this year and $271,028 in earnings. Janus Stakes Proves Successful Return for Reef Runner Reef Runner, last seen fourth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T), returned to form winning the Janus Stakes late by a length over And Uwish over the Gulfstream turf. The 4-year-old gelding trained by David Fawkes and owned by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, completed 5 furlongs in 54.18.