NEWS

Cool Coal Man could mine another Gulfstream victory

Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 8:05 PM

COOL COAL MAN

Bob Coglianese photo

by Frank Angst

After opening the season with a clear victory in an optional claiming race at Gulfstream Park, Cool Coal Man will try to secure his fifth win from six career starts at the track when he faces ten challengers in the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) on Saturday.

A five-year-old Mineshaft colt, Cool Coal Man finished fifth in last year’s edition of this one-mile race. Trained by Nick Zito for owner Robert LaPenta, Cool Coal Man won the 2008 Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream.

In his opening race of the season, Cool Coal Man scored by two lengths against four challengers in a seven-furlong optional claiming race. That effort marked his first start since closing 2009 with a fifth-place finish in the Meadowlands Cup Stakes (G2) on October 16.

Cool Coal Man is not the only entrant who has enjoyed success at Gulfstream.

This Ones for Phil will stretch out to the one-turn, one-mile distance on Saturday after winning the six-furlong Sunshine Millions Sprint Stakes on January 20. Last year, the Untuttable gelding won both the Swale (G2) and Sunshine Millions Dash Stakes at Gulfstream.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will send out Harlem Rocker, who should relish the distance. The Macho Uno horse finished first but was disqualified and placed second for interference in the 2008 Hill ‘n’ Dale Cigar Mile Handicap (G1) at Aqueduct.

Six-year-old Grasshopper, runner-up in the 2007 Travers Stakes (G1), will make his second start of the season after securing a narrow victory at the one-mile distance on February 3 at Gulfstream.

Congressional Page will stretch out to a mile after finishing second to Munnings in the seven-furlong Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship Stakes (G2) on February 13.

Frank Angst is senior writer for Thoroughbred Times

Gulfstream Park H.