Stakes newcomer Graydar and veteran star Point of Entry won Saturday’s Grade 1 stakes races at Gulfstream Park.
Graydar, a 4-year-old in just his fourth career start, led almost the entire race and beat Bourbon Courage by three lengths in the $500,000 Donn Handicap.
The 10-horse field was regarded as one of the strongest in the Donn in recent years.
Point of Entry won a stretch duel with the popular Animal Kingdom and won by 1 1/4 lengths in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap.
The race was probably the last in the United States for Animal Kingdom, the winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby. His owner, Team Valor International, plans to race him in the United Arab Emirates and England before retiring him to begin stallion service in Australia.
Point of Entry’s victory was his fourth in a Grade 1 stakes since July and his first stakes win at Gulfstream.
While the Donn was the official feature race, the Turf Stakes was the bigger attraction because of Animal Kingdom.
Fans cheered him loudly as he came out of the walking ring and made him the 4-5 favorite in a six-horse field.
Point of Entry was sent off at 2-1.
Salto led through the first half mile in a relatively slow 50.62 seconds.
Pony of Entry, ridden by John Velazquez, was second by 1 1/2 lengths. Animal Kingdom was fifth near the rail.
Animal Kingdom took a brief lead around the turn . Point of Entry took the lead in mid stretch before edging away to win in 1:47.
Trainer Shug McGaughey said Point of Entry might race next in the Dubai Sheema Classic on March 30.
The horse is owned by Ogden Phipps Stable and Frank Stronach, the chairman of Gulfstream and its parent Stronach Group.
Graydar, trained by Todd Pletcher, came into the Donn with two wins in three starts with none in stakes.
His previous race was a fast win in a one- mile allowance at Gulfstream on Dec. 6.
He was ridden by Edgar Prado and won the 1 1/8-mile dirt stakes on 1:49.25.
• Gulfstream had two other stake s races Saturday.
Fort Loudon beat Swagger Jack by a half length in the Gulfstream Park Sprint Grade 1) at seven furlongs on dirt fir 4-year-olds and up.
Fort Loudon was ridden by Jose Lezcano and won in 1:21.84. He is trained by Nick Zito.
• Channel Lady defeated Abaco by three-quarters of a length in the $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes (Grade 3) at1 1/8 miles on turf for fillies and mares 4-yeara-old and up.
• On Sunday, Gulfstream will have the $150,000 Hurricane Bertie Stages (Grade 3) at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt for fillies and mares.
• On Sunday, Gulfstream will have a carryover of more than $2 million on the Pick 6 bet on the last six races.
The bet is 10 cents, with multiple horses permitted in each race. For example, a ticket with two horses in each race has 64 combinations and costs $6.40.
Gulfstream pays out the entire Pick 6 pool, including the carryover, only on days when there is just one winning ticket.
















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