Ghostzapper (Grade 3)- $165.000 Purse
GP- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
March 29, 2025

We’ll have a full field on Saturday for the 22nd running of the Ghostzapper, a stake that has been a Grade 3 since inception, but has seen some small distance changes over the years. It’s a part of a great day of racing at GP as we lead into the feature races, the GP Oaks and FL Derby. Looking back, we have had one horse win this race twice, the late Impending Decision for Night Rider Stables in 2015 and 2016. Last year, Luz International was in the winner’s circle with five-year-old gelding Angle Of Attack. It was part of a great year for that one, and he remains active now. While he is not here, we have twelve that are. Here’s a look at the field:

1- Domiano (Rock Creek, ridden by D Davis)- This horse was rolling last year through July with Fractious, but that trainer would sell him three weeks after winning the Grade 3 MTH Cup for $1,500.000. Since then, Domiano has not even earned a penny for Rock Creek, eating up nomination fees in four races where he was not even a contender. Now, he is dropped down from Grade 1 company where the trainer hopes the turnaround begins.

2- Pennine Way (Jediminds Stable, ridden by M J Husbands)- Last time out, this six-year-old finished second in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at odds of 38/1. While it was not the case earlier in his career, Pennine Way has been hit and miss since being picked up by Jediminds Stable last summer for $150.000. It’s been a while since he’s put two strong races together back-to-back, but this might be the time for that to happen.

3- Ultra M A G A (TwinTowersRacing, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- With just one win in 24 starts, which ironically was an allowance and not a maiden, Ultra M A G A is not one to get excited about. Sure, you never know, but he has not been competitive at the stake level. In overnights, he has been a lot better with at least hitting the board, which keep the trainer’s hopes high. Needs to justify it to the rest of us.

4- Moytoy Bay (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by T Gaffalione)- In November, Moytoy Boy stepped up and won the $200.000 CC Jewel after several close calls in other ungraded races. We have not seen him in a stake since that win, however, though he is a couple of close calls away from being on a three-race winning streak in starters and open allowances. Since being picked up by the trainer in late 2023, Moytoy Boy has never finished worst than fourth.

5- Galapagos (Night Rider Stables, ridden by J Bravo)- We can expect that Galapagos will be looking to go out to the lead right from the gate, as this has been the tactic used since May. From that point, he won the next two, then hit the board in the next two races, a stretch that includes the Grade 3 Dominion Day Stakes as well as NY-Bred stakes. In a rarity, he tired last time out, but I don’t think that would lead to a dramatic tactical change up.

6- Distant Breeze (The Sidley Stud, ridden by G Corrales)- The first of three horses entered by the trainer here, Distant Breeze is looking to get back on track after three tough races. Things seemed much better for him earlier in the year, immediately picking up wins after the trainer got him in the auction for $7.010. Eventually, this led to a win in the Grade 3 Durham Cup in September, but he has not been able to maintain that form. A switch to the turf didn’t help, and Distant Breeze is back on the main track now.

7- Brother Bear (Ajm Stables, ridden by S X Bridgmohan)- Makes his debut here for Ajm Stables, after the trainer claimed him for $25.000 last month. Brother Bear has won two of three, which are high or mid-level claimers, and has been a stake horse in the past. Seems like a good claim for $25.000, and the trainer hopes he can get back to that stake form. I don’t mind that chance being taken here, as even if it doesn’t work out, this is very capable runner.

8- Caveat Emptor (High Voltage, ridden by I Ortiz Jr)- In 33 races, Caveat Emptor has won only twice, which is still twice as much as Ultra M A G A. It took seemingly forever for him to break his maiden, but since he was consistently hitting the board, the trainer did not back down from high placement. Based on the works, you can see why he keeps getting entered into races, and as he is not usually bad (just not winning), that placement will continue.

9- Bayldonite (The Sidley Stud, ridden by E J Zayas)- After running fifth in the BC Turf Sprint last fall, Bayldonite was one of those horses we were all hoping we could get for a buck. The Sidley Stud was the fortunate one with this horse in the Great Smokey Sale, but things did not go well in his first race with the trainer. With that dud in the San Simeon now behind him, Bayldonite goes long for the first time. Those works show this might actually be quite overdue.

10- Power Grid (The Sidley Stud, ridden by E J Wilson)- It took more than a dollar for The Sidley Stud to pick this one up, as the sale price $300.000 in the December auction from Fractious. That came a couple of months after running third in the ONT Derby (Grade 3), and the horse was third again in his Sidley debut, the Grade 3 LA Stakes. He’s inconsistent, but I think he’s about to run a good one here.

11- Alive (Arindel, ridden by J Lezcano)- Over 28 starts, Alive has picked up nine wins, highlighted by a pair of ungraded wins back when he was a three-year-old. While he has been in a few ungraded stakes since then, his recent victories have been in overnights. Two back, Arindel claimed him for $100.000 from Riggins Racing, and would enter him in the SA Handicap (Grade 1) off of that. After being wire-to-wire in the back, he won’t face as tough of a field here.

12- Fried Chicken (Angelos Stable, ridden by A R Rodriguez)- Coming from the outside, Fried Chicken looks to make it four wins in five races with Angelos Stable. The trainer got the gelding in a maiden claimer for $16.000 and is an example of a horse that once he found out how to win, they haven’t stopped. It’s his graded debut, but after a good-looking win at SA last month, coupled with his present form, this is a good time to do it.

Prediction: 2-4-12-7

— NS

Categories: Grade III, STAKES ARTICLES