Florida Focus

We changed his running style. He used to lead and stop. Now he’s sustaining it more,” Joseph said.

Max K. O. paid $8.80 to win.

Fifth behind winner Roaring Forties in his last try against stakes horses in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf Classic at Gulfstream on Jan. 1, Max K. O. was also second to Drama Chorus in the 2022 Grey Goose Turf Classic on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs in his only other runner-up performance against added-money company. In 43 career starts, 17 of which came in stakes, Max K. O. now has 12 wins with six seconds and two thirds while earning $532,780.

Max K. O. is by J P’s Gusto out of Funky Fraulein, by Sligo Bay (Ire) and was bred in Florida by Span Investments. Funky Fraulein has six winners from seven starters and 10 foals with Max K. O. her only black-typer winner. She also has an unraced 3-year-old filly by Soldat in Fraulein Victoria and an unnamed yearling filly by Protonico.

Max K. O. is a two-time graduate of Ocala Breeders’ Sales having first passed through the ring as a yearling in the 2017 October

Sale where he did not meet his reserve. He then sold for $13,000 to Rohan Crichton out of the Sante Fe Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2018 June Sale. n

Jive First Winner for St Patrick’s Day

Journeyman Stud freshman sire St Patrick’s Day was represented by his first winner in his first starter on May 19 at Gulfstream Park as BC Racing LLC’s Jive took a $65,000 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds. The purse includes a $5,000 FTBOA bonus for Florida Sire Stakes eligible runners presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association and $10,000 from the Florida-bred Incentive Fund.

Trained by Juan Alvarado and ridden by Edwin Gonzalez, Jive was third down the backstretch of the five-furlong test as Jigsaw and Paisan set the early pace.

Jigsaw and Jive went past the quarter-pole in tandem but the latter took a narrow lead into the stretch while three-wide with Paisan remaining a threat with an inside trip.

Paisan tried to get by Jive down the stretch but Jive kept the advantage to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:00.20. Paisan was second with Jigsaw making a late run to finish just a neck farther back in third. They were followed, in order, by Dontbesoogrouchy, Z Races and Echo Lane. Saint No More was scratched.

Jive paid $7.60 to win.

Jive is out of the Sky Mesa mare Skylarbdancing and was bred in Florida by Jennifer A. Johnson and Gillian K. Johnson. Jive earned $43,000 for the victory and is eligible for the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series of races to be run later this year at Gulfstream Park.

Jive is a graduate of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where Brian Cohen purchased the bay colt for $23,000 out of Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales consignment.

By Pioneerof the Nile out of Littleprincess Emma, by Yankee Gentleman, St Patrick’s Day is a full brother to 2015 Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah and was second to Unfortunately (Ire) in the Group 3 Renaissance at Nass as a 3-year-old and third in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Celebration won by I’m So Fancy (Ire) at the Curragh during his juvenile campaign. He stood the 2023 breeding season for $3,500. n

Dean Delivers Breaks Through with Big Drama Score Earns $25,000 FTBOA FSS Bonus

Stonehedge LLC Dean Delivers, who has been second five times against stakes company, took home his first top black-type prize on May 20 at Gulfstream Park with a convincing victory in the seven-furlong Big Drama against older Florida-breds. Trained by Michael Yates, Dean Delivers also earned a $25,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Win bonus in addition to the winner’s share of the $65,000 purse.

Dean Delivers and jockey Emisael Jaramillo broke well from post three as Avant Glory darted to the early lead from post five with Picking Up Pennies to his inside. Dean Delivers set up just behind the top two in third.

Passing the three-eighths marker, Dean Delivers took a subtle cue from Jaramillo and shot to the front with a three-wide move as Picking Up Pennies followed to take second as they went by the five-sixteenths pole. Dean Delivers then sprinted away from his rivals turning for home and was well clear at the top of the stretch.

Dean Delivers finished up in 1:23.11 on the fast track and was three-and-three-quarter lengths in front of Starship Renegade in second with Avant Glory another length-and-a-quarter farther back in third. Picking Up Pennies was fourth followed, in order, by Gangly and Stormy Pattern. Big and Classy was scratched.

Continued on page14