Horse racing

Florida Sire Series for 2-year-olds begins its run at Gulfstream Park.

Though the start of the Champions Meet is four months away, Gulfstream Park is hosting a weekend of racing more like what railbirds would see in December, rather than the dog days of summer.

Saturday’s 13-race card is highlighted by the first legs of the Florida Sire Series, a three-race series for 2-year-olds sired by registered Florida stallions. The following day, Gulfstream has written a $100,000 overnight stakes race for a locally based 3-year-old in Gunnevera, who was last seen competing in the Triple Crown.

The Sire Series, which has propelled local horses onto a Triple Crown campaign, begins with a pair of 6-furlong races each paying a purse of $100,000. The Dr. Fager Stakes, the series starter for colts and geldings, has drawn a field of eight.

Early favoritism has been assigned to Dunk based largely upon his 8 ¾-length maiden-breaking win at Gulfstream on July 15. Possibly also accounting for his short 7-5 morning line odds is the fact that the colt is trained by Stanley Gold, the winningest trainer in the history of the 35-year-old series.

Gold teamed with Jacks or Better Farm Inc. to win 18 Sire Stakes races before trainer and owner parted ways in April of last year. In the attempt to remain the series’ leading owner, Jacks or Better will send out Kingston Pike at 8-1. The gelding is one of three entrants in the Dr. Fager trained by Ralph Nicks and will be seeking his first win.

Nicks will also saddle second choice Soutache and Phantom Ro. Soutache, at 3-1, won his first career start on July 2 by a half-length. Phantom Ro slots in just behind at 4-1 also having visited the winner’s circle in his first career outing on July 8 with a 2 ¼-length win.

The Desert Vixen Stakes for fillies has also drawn in eight with a Gold trainee in Awesome Mass tabbed as the early even-money favorite. Just like Dunk, Awesome Mass broke her maiden in her third start by a wide margin, posting an 11 ¾-length win at Gulfstream July 20.

Jacks or Better and Nicks will counter with the 9-2 Pantyhose, who will be looking for her first win. In between in the morning line is Valid Interest at 7-2. She began her racing career with a 2 ½-length victory at Gulfstream on July 14.

Sunday’s docket will be punctuated by the return of Gunnevera to the track where he recorded his last victory. The son of Dialed In will use the 1 1⁄16-mile Tangelo Stakes as a prep race for the Travers Stakes on Aug. 26 at Saratoga. It will also be his first start since a fifth-place finish in the Preakness.

Gunnevera had an extensive campaign leading up to his Triple Crown effort, making nine starts before finishing seventh in the Kentucky Derby. He competed in all three major sophomore prep races at Gulfstream this winter, posting his last win in the Fountain of Youth in early March.

His most serious challenger appears to be Front Loaded, who has won three of his last four starts.