Walder happy to be back

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After a nine-month absence, trainer Peter Walder’s name is back in the entries at Gulfstream Park, where he will send out two starters on Sunday, including Starship Zorro as one of the key contenders in the $47,000 optional-claiming feature.

Walder, who has won 796 races and maintained a stellar 24 percent win rate through his training career, said he had been away because of a “nonracing-related personal issue” that prevented him from obtaining a license from the state.

“It was a long nine months, and it feels nice to have everything cleared up and to be back here at work,” Walder said from his barn on the Gulfstream Park backstretch Friday.

Walder said he has 24 horses in his barn, with several others expected shortly.

“I appreciate all the owners who hung in there and returned their horses to my care as soon as I was able to get my license back,” said Walder. “I’m anxious to get started again and do what we do best in this barn, which is win at a high percentage rate. The condition book can either be your friend or your enemy in this business, and I plan to make it my friend as quickly as I can.”

Starship Zorro runs in the 10th race, a first-level optional claimer for statebred 3-yearolds and up going a mile on turf. Starship Zorro, who has been entered for the $16,000 claiming option, will make his first start since he was claimed for $10,000 by Two Hat Thoroughbreds and Rafwa Stables out of a secondplace finish on May 10.

The 7-year-old grass specialist finished fifth earlier this season in the Sunshine Millions Turf and remains winless in his last 13 starts dating to last fall. He is nicely spotted on Sunday as one of only two older horses in the field while having won just one fewer race in his career, eight, than his seven rivals combined.

“The owners claimed him in May and decided to take their time with him since he’d run a lot over the previous four to five months, and I think the time off has done him good,” said Walder. “From what I’ve seen since I’ve been back, he looks great. He’s been pace-dependent in his races, especially after running five times in six weeks like he had, but I think you’ll see him a little closer during the early stages on Sunday, coming in fresh as he is.”

Starship Zorro’s top competition may come from the 3-yearolds Zipping and Major Key, who each posted a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in his most recent start.

Zipping earned an 81 Beyer for finishing fourth, beaten three lengths, going 1 1/16 miles against open company just a week ago. Trained by Roger Laurin, Zipping dueled for the lead into the stretch before weakening in the longest race of his seven-race career.

Major Key will be trying older horses for the first time and, like Starship Zorro, has been freshened since his last start, a thirdplace finish against mid-level optional-claiming foes on May 4.

Gaffalione, Pletcher win titles

The spring meet came to an end on Friday for the purpose of deciding the jockey, trainer, and owner titles, with none of the three races close at the end.

Tyler Gaffalione dominated the rider standings, with Edgard Zayas easily second. Emisael Jaramillo, Luca Panici, and Miguel Vasquez rounding out the top five.

Todd Pletcher, who left a full stable of horses behind at the conclusion of the championship meet for the first time, led from start to finish to add his first spring training crown to his long list of winter titles. Frank Calabrese came out on top as leading owner.

◗ There will be live racing here on Tuesday, July 4, with the card including a pair of 3-year-old stakes on the turf – the $100,000 Not Surprising and its filly counterpart, the $100,000 Martha Washington. Both races will be decided at one mile.