Winstar Farm LLC and Siena Farm LLC’s Emmanuel has started off 2023 with two graded stakes wins on the turf, the latest coming in Saturday’s $150,000 Canadian Turf S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park.
Emmanuel did not get the cleanest of trips in Saturday’s 1 1/16-mile test. He broke well and was in third just out of the gate. Things got tight on the first turn when a very keen Souper Dormy caused Emmanuel to have to check off heels a few times. After a clean trip on the backstretch, Emmanuel was sixth going into the final bend, where he was bottled up as he looked for racing room. An opening finally appeared in upper stretch, and Emmanuel got loose to finish full of run, winning by a half-length in 1:40.31 on the firm turf.
“There was a lot going on in the race,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “The first turn got a little hairy and [Emmanuel] got in some traffic. Javier [Castellano] was able to extract him late and he came back with a good finish. He is a versatile horse and he has come back well. I think for right now we”ll focus on the turf.”
Emmanuel, who won the Tampa Bay S. (G3) last month and the 2022 Pennine Ridge S. (G2), is now 5-0-1 in eight starts and has earned $450,450.
