Ron Correll
Senior columnist
Tracksideview.com

There were two stakes races at Gulfstream Park in South Florida Saturday and trainer Marty Wolfson walked away with both of them. First, with Jessica is Back in the Ocala, and then with You and I Forever in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.

You and I Forever, who was running in his last race, came charging late under jockey Javier Castellano to run down the early leaders to win the one-mile race.

Le Grand Cru and Inkado set fractions of 23.86, 46.40 and 1:10.89 for six furlongs. Cool Coal Man, who had been running in third, challenged Inkado entering the turn as Le Grand Cry fell back. Cool Coal Man had a short-lived lead at the quarter-pole as You and I Forever was gaining momentum on the outside.

You and I Forever had the lead at the eighth-pole and went on to win by one length in 1:37.83. Motovato came up the rail to grab second and Cool Coal Man was third.

“We had a plan going into the race. There was a lot of speed in there and I wanted to be mid-pack and wait for the horses to come back to me and just let my horse finish, and it worked out exactly that way. They went pretty quick, and I was able to sit just off the speed. I went a little wide, but I wanted to be in the clear and didn’t want him getting a lot of dirt kicked back on him. And when I put him in the clear, he just took off,” Castellano said.

You and I Forever is owned by the estate of Edmund Gann, but will be heading to India for stud duties.

Wolfson also trains Motovado and was pleased with both of his horses. “I liked both horses going into the race. His last race was a throw out (You and I Forever). He wants to make one run like he did today. He wasn’t even going to run. A deal has been made (by estate of Edmund Gann) to sell the horse to interests in India as a stud prospect. I begged them last night to let me run him. Motovato ran a big race too and might even have won if he was outside. He loves the outside. They are both amazing horses to still be running. Both have had multiple surgeries. At least I get to keep Motovato,” Wolfson said.

In the Ocala, Jessica ‘was’ Back as the betting public sent her off as the 1-5 favorite and she didn’t disappoint. Jessica is Back jumped from the gate when the latch was sprung and quickly put two lengths on the rest.

Jessica is Back set fractions of 25.24, 48.48 and 1:12.85 for six furlongs as she repulsed a weak bid from Glotona rounding the turn. Jockey Elvis Trujillo gave Jessica is Back her head at the quarter-pole and the race was over as she ran off to win the one-mile race by seven lengths in 1:37.71. Many Kisses was second and Glotona was third.

“There wasn’t really any speed in the race and that was good for my horse. I put her on the lead, and that was it; she did the rest,” Trujillo said.

The winner paid $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10. She is owned by Farnsworth Stables, LLC.

“She’s been a great claim. I had watched her earlier in her career when she was mostly sprinting, but I think she’s best around two turns. She just out-classed this group today (one-turn mile). She’s been amazing, ran 12 times last year, which is a hard campaign, and still going. I’m looking at the Sixty Sails at Hawthorne for her next ($200,000 (G3) on April 17),” Wolfson said.