A pair of runners by Unbridled’s Song grabbed plenty of attention Sunday at Gulfstream Park after turning in impressive performances in the sixth and eighth races. The duo of Pink Trillium and Cross Traffic added to a highlight reel weekend for their sire, which also included the 3-year-old colt Noble Tune’s flying finish at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, a race that could put him into the Grade 1 Blue Grass S. for his next start.
Cross Traffic, a 4-year-old colt, was the star of the day after his 7 1/2-length romp in the featured eighth race, earning him the coveted “TDN Rising Star” tag (VIDEO). Making just his second start after debuting a 1 3/4-length winner going 6 1/2-furlongs on Jan. 24, the gray or roan colt outdid himself on Sunday. Sitting patiently a couple of lengths off the pace down the backstretch of the one-mile contest, he took over coming into the stretch, then ran away from the field to get the distance in 1:35.17 for a Beyer Speed Figure of 97.
The time was the same as that of stablemate Discreet Dancer’s in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park H. on Saturday.
Cross Traffic has earned $51,300 in his two starts for owner GoldMark Farm, who paid $300,000 for him from the Taylor Made consignment at the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling sale. The colt is out of Stop Traffic, winner eight stakes in her stellar career, topped by the Ballerina H (G1) and Santa Monica H. (G1).
About an hour earlier, Pink Trillium made her first start a winning one as she came from sixth after a quarter mile, knifing between foes in deep stretch to collar a three-quarter length score going 7 1/2-furlongs on the turf (VIDEO).
The 3-year-old gray or roan filly is trained by Chad Brown for owner/breeder Stronach Stables. The filly is the second foal out of Amandola and comes from the same family as the legendary Urban Sea, Europe’s champion older mare of 1993 who took the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) that year.