Souzak set for U.S. debut in Saturday’s Dania Beach
At 0h21, on January 7, 2023 • By GULFSTREAM
Larry Johnson’s Souzak is scheduled to make his U.S. debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Dania Beach at Gulfstream Park, where the son of Kodiac will seek his fourth victory in a row.
The Dania Beach, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, will co-headline an 11-race program with the $100,000 Ginger Brew, a mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf.
Souzak was purchased at the Arqana Arc Sale for $392,080 only hours after collecting his third straight victory Oct. 1 at Longchamp.
“He won the day of the sale. Larry picked him out, and I contacted Nicolas de Watrigant,” said trainer Graham Motion, who called upon the prominent French bloodstock agent to bid on the French-bred colt on Johnson’s behalf.
Following the sale, Motion had considered entering Souzak in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland.
“Timing-wise, it would have given us five weeks if we wanted to take a shot, but he got sick,” Motion said.
Souzak recovered at Motion’s training base at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, where he worked three times before shipping to Palm Meadows, Gulfstream Park’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach Country where he breezed once in preparation for the Dania Beach.
“He’s training well, but I don’t have a feel for how he’ll do Saturday,” Motion said. “He’s a nice horse, a straightforward horse.”
Joel Rosario has the mount aboard Souzak, who is scheduled to clash with six rivals in the Dania Beach, including Spendthrift Farm LLC’s Major Dude and Mark Grier’s Candidate.
