Florida-bred colt earns fees-paid berth into Grade 1 Preakness Stakes

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Florida-bred Taj Mahal improved his record to three-for-three with an impressive gate-to-wire victory in the $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Laurel Park Saturday, earning a fees-paid berth into the 151st running of the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes on May 16 over the same track. Nine other 3-year-olds chased Taj Mahal throughout the mile-and-one-eighth but never seriously challenged the 6-5 favorite as jockey Sheldon Russell took the bay son of Nyquist to an easy victory.

Shoots for $4,000 FTBOA Export Incentive

BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Arindel's stakes-placed Florida-bred Monster, who started his career with a fourth-place finish in the maiden special weight on dirt at Keeneland last April, returns to the Lexington, Kentucky facility Sunday in the $300,000 Palisades for 3-year-olds going five-and-a-half furlongs on the grass.

Promising 2YO Colt Strike Set to Make Race Debut Sunday

BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL - Arindel's 4-year-old homebred filly Mythical, a Grade 3 winner of five stakes from eight starts, continues to train forwardly at Gulfstream Park as the connections plot out a summer campaign likely to include a return trip to Saratoga.

BY STEVE KOCH

The Florida Legislature moved $5 million into racetrack purses for Florida-bred racehorses in 2026 – $4 million to Gulfstream Park and $1 million to Tampa Bay Downs.

Some of that state funding was already flowing in prior years. After accounting for preexisting allocations and reserves, the net new investment is $4.8 million at Gulfstream Park and $536,000 at Tampa Bay Downs.