Gran Oriente Shines Again and Validates His Tremendous Form at Gulfstream Park

The Chilean-bred runner scored an authoritative victory in the Soldier's Dancer Handicap (L), capturing his second consecutive win since transferring to the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr. and anchoring a spectacular stable exacta alongside Nemo

HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida (Special for Turf Diario).— Chilean-bred Gran Oriente confirmed he is in the absolute form of his career this Saturday, delivering another commanding performance to capture the Soldier's Dancer Handicap (L), a $100,000 turf feature contested over 1,700 meters at Gulfstream Park.

Carrying the colors of Epic Horses, WSS Racing, AMA Stables, BAG Racing Stables, and Paul Braverman, the son of Classic Empire secured his second consecutive stakes victory since transferring to the high-flying barn of Saffie Joseph Jr., fully backing up the immense impression he left just weeks ago when taking the Mr. Steele Stakes (L) over the exact same course and distance.

With Rasheed Hughes in the saddle, the eventual winner was rated patiently in mid-pack while Tank (Adios Charlie) controlled the early tempo, followed closely by Tomasello (Authentic), Indecisiveness, and stable companion Nemo (Into Mischief), who made steady progress while saving ground along the inside rail.

As the field straightened for home, Hughes angled his mount five-wide into clear racing room, unleashing the class that previously made him a multiple Grade 1 winner in Chile. Producing a powerful, sustained rally down the center of the track, Gran Oriente mastered the frontrunners in the closing stages, drawing away comfortably to clear Nemo by 1 1/4 lengths, securing a lucrative stable exacta for the Joseph barn. The teletimer stopped at a sharp 1:39.75 over a firm turf course.

Missed the Cut (Quality Road) checked in third.

Sabine Langvad, assistant to Joseph, praised the winner's current rich vein of form: "He won very convincingly last time out, but you never truly know how they will respond when backing up. We are absolutely delighted that he went out there and validated all that raw potential again. He came out of his previous race in fantastic shape, bounced back immediately, and delivered at the highest level today," she noted.

Langvad also had high praise for the runner-up effort of Nemo, who was returning to competitive action following a seven-month layoff: "Saffie didn't give any specific riding instructions; he just left it up to the jockeys to read the race, and both got very clean trips. We are incredibly proud of Nemo for the way he ran off the bench. He found his stride at the right moment and dug in hard to protect that second spot," she concluded.

Since joining Joseph's powerhouse Florida stable from California—where he was a stakes winner and competed in the Breeders' Cup—Gran Oriente appears to have found a completely new lease on life. In just two starts over the Gulfstream Park turf, he has turned in dominant back-to-back displays, quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with in the local middle-distance turf division.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkzZ4QzxsPk