Rich Daddy tests stakes waters in Sensitive Prince

Rich Daddy ran the race of his career last out, and his connections will get a chance to see how the horse stacks up against better Saturday in the $75,000 Sensitive Prince at Gulfstream Park. The field for the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up includes East Hall, a Grade 2 winner and earner of more than $800,000; Lynx, the runner-up in last year’s $500,000 Prince of Wales at Fort Erie; Souper Lucky, who is Grade 3-placed against 2014 Belmont Stakes winner Tonalist; and Ledokol, who was stakes-placed last out at Gulfstream.

Rich Daddy, meanwhile, owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 97. “He ran a big race last time, and he had a big Beyer, so we considered the stakes level,” said Jose Garoffalo, who trains Rich Daddy for Winds of Change Racing Stable Corp. “The race is a chance to prove if he can run in stakes in the future.”

KEY CONTENDERS

Rich Daddy (Last 3 Beyers: 97-84-71); Claimed for $6,250 in May, he won that day by 11 lengths. In his most recent start, he took an optional $16,000 claiming race by 9 1/4 lengths Aug. 27 at Gulfstream. That start came at a one-turn mile, and he will stretch out around two turns Saturday. “He likes to run from behind horses,” Garoffalo said. “I think he’ll be better with distance. I think he will love this distance.” Rich Daddy will break from post 4 under regular rider Emisael Jaramillo.

East Hall (Last 3 Beyers: 75-65-74) He was entered for the main track only in last Saturday’s The Vid on turf at Gulfstream and was scratched. East Hall is the class of the field as an earner of $821,630. He has won three stakes, including the Grade 2 Indiana Derby. Tyler Gaffalione has the mount for trainer Bill Kaplan.

Sr. Quisqueyano, the winner of the $250,000 Sunshine Millions Classic by a half-length over East Hall in January, has been freshened over the summer and is due to return to Gulfstream by early next week, said trainer Peter Walder.