Former Triple Crown contender John Hancock is making strides on his comeback after a nearly 14-month hiatus from racing. He will compete for the third time since his layoff—and his first under new ownership—in Saturday’s $65,000 Duke of Mischief overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park. The race, a one-turn mile on the main track for horses aged three and older, precedes the $100,000 Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds, as part of a 10-race card starting at 12:20 p.m.
John Hancock, a son of 2014 Florida Derby (G1) winner Constitution, was initially bred and co-owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Brad Cox. He broke onto the scene as a 3-year-old with consecutive wins at Tampa Bay Downs, both as the favorite and with a commanding front-running style, including a victory in the 1 1/16-mile Sam F. Davis Stakes last February. Notably, the runner-up in that race, Owen Almighty, went on to win the Tampa Bay Derby (G3) and finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
Continuing his early promise, John Hancock was favored again in the 2025 Louisiana Derby (G2), where he led but faded to fourth. Shortly after, he was sidelined due to a condylar fracture, keeping him off the track for over 400 days. Upon his return in a one-mile optional claiming race at Churchill Downs last May, he set the pace but finished sixth; a similar performance followed in his latest start in June.
John Hancock was then put up for sale at the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, where Paula Rose Szalay’s Golden Kernel Racing Stable purchased him for $75,000. The horse was moved to trainer Bobby Dibona at Gulfstream Park. Dibona, who performed gelding and a myectomy on John Hancock, praised his potential: “I thought I would pay more. I was willing to pay $100,000 and I got him for $75,000. I think I stole him for that money. He’s amazing, and I’m very excited to run him.”
“He had won the Sam Davis Stakes, so he was on track to become something special,” Dibona continued. “He had a condylar fracture in his hind leg and they put a screw in. Horses recover well from that, especially in the hind leg, so I have no worries.”
Since joining Dibona, John Hancock has worked out six times at Gulfstream, including a sharp half-mile breeze in 46.62 seconds on September 7, and a recent three-furlong work from the gate in 35.78 seconds on September 19. “I’ve had him a few months and it’s clear he was destined to be a top horse,” Dibona said. “With each workout, he impresses me more. The rider was barely urging him in his last breeze; the horse just shows natural ability.”
With Miguel Vasquez aboard and starting from Post 6, John Hancock goes off as the 2-1 favorite in a field of nine, carrying a co-topweight of 121 pounds. He was supplemented into the Duke of Mischief and runs alongside stablemate Sum of Success, an undefeated multiple stakes-winning 2-year-old. Dibona shares high expectations, saying, “He’s impressing me more than any horse in my barn right now. We need to get moving with him, but he’s ready to perform.”
Among his competition, Robert Wayne Jacobs and Dwight Puckett’s To the Eastside is the only horse entering off a win, having recently claimed a front-running victory by one length over multiple stakes winner Classic of Course in the seven-furlong Benny the Bull at Gulfstream. The 5-year-old Enticed colt will start from the rail for the third consecutive race. Trainer Andrea Puckett acknowledged the challenge of the inside post but remains optimistic, noting that To the Eastside ran the best race of his life last time and continues to improve with every start.
Other entrants include stakes winner Pure Class and stakes-placed Icelander, both of whom finished in the money behind To the Eastside in the Benny the Bull. Gerald Bennett-trained stablemates Chrome Ghost and El Principito, along with Awesome Train, Fiveeyesonskystars, and Lightning Tones round out the field. Lightning Tones, the defending Duke of Mischief champion, has yet to find the winner’s circle in three starts this year.
The Duke of Mischief stakes race honors a Florida-bred son of Graeme Hall, bred by Marilyn McMaster and originally co-owned with Alex and JoAnn Lieblong and trainer David Fawkes. The namesake ran 30 times with 12 finishes in the top two, earning $1.9 million, and captured five stakes races including the 2009 Iowa Derby and multiple graded stakes such as the 2010 Fort Lauderdale (G3), Oaklawn Handicap (G2), Iselin (G3), and 2011 Charles Town Classic (G3).
This article first appeared in the News section of the Paulick Report on September 23, 2026.
Fan Take: John Hancock’s comeback story is a compelling reminder of the resilience and talent that can return to the track despite setbacks like serious injuries. For horse racing fans, his progress not only revitalizes interest in Gulfstream’s racing circuit but also highlights the enduring allure and drama of the sport’s competitive landscape.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
