Ricardo Vallejo’s Deland, a Grade 1 winner in Puerto Rico, broke through with his first stakes victory in the U.S. Sunday in the $75,000 Coast Is Clear at Gulfstream Park.<\/p>\n
Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, the 6-year-old gelding ran a one-turn mile in 1:35.86 to win for the first time in his five starts since leaving Puerto Rico.\u00a0The Florida-bred<\/a> son of Gottcha Gold, who won 10 of 16 starts in Puerto Rico, came to the U.S. last fall to compete in the\u00a0Dec. 9\u00a0Clasico del Caribe at Gulfstream Park.<\/p>\n \u201cThis horse came here for the Caribbean Classic but when he got to Miami he had a hoof injury and couldn’t run,\u201d trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said.<\/p>\n Deland ($10.80) settled off the pace set by Conquest Big E, the 6-5 favorite who set fractions of 23 (seconds), 44.97 and 1:09.11 before relinquishing the lead to Zipping leaving the turn into the homestretch. Zipping, who had pressed the pace into the stretch, repelled a bid by multiple-stakes winner Mr. Jordan and maintained a lead into mid-stretch under Tyler Gaffalione, only to be overtaken by Deland.<\/p>\n Deland was transferred to Barboza’s Gulfstream Park stable before finishing a close second in a June 29 optional claiming allowance race after setting the pace.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a lot of speed — 44 (seconds for the half-mile). It helped my horse,\u201d Barboza said. \u201cThe last time, he set the pace and finished second but ran a good race. Today, he was very, very good.\u201d<\/p>\n Zipping held gamely to finish second, 1 \u00bd lengths ahead of a late-charging Hy Riverside, who had beaten Deland last time out. Conquest Big E., who won the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2)\u00a0March 31, tired badly to finish out of the money.<\/p>\n The post Puerto Rican Grade 1 Winner Deland Breaks Through In Gulfstream’s Coast Is Clear<\/a> appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n