Seven-year-old Win for the Money, a Grade 1 winner, and Neat, a 5-year-old with three graded-stakes victories, are set to be major contenders in Saturday’s $65,000 Miami Mile overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park. This turf race for horses aged three and older spans two turns, while the $75,000 Palm Bay overnight handicap for 2-year-olds will feature a one-turn mile on the main track, both part of a 10-race card starting at 12:20 p.m.
Owned by Live Oak Plantation and trained by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, Win for the Money is entering his 29th career start and eighth race on Gulfstream’s turf. The chestnut gelding, sired by Mohaymen—winner of the 2026 Fountain of Youth (G2) and Holy Bull (G3)—has finished in the top three 18 times, including six wins. His most notable triumph was a stunning 13-1 upset in the 2024 Woodbine Mile (G1). He’s also placed in six other graded stakes, narrowly losing the 2024 Fort Lauderdale (G2) by half a length as the favorite. Overall, he has earned more than $1 million in prize money.
Trainer Mark Casse praised Win for the Money, calling him a “nice horse” and a proud millionaire runner who has consistently performed well in his signature red dots and black sleeves. This year, he has won once—in a hard-fought neck victory at Colonial Downs on August 2 over yielding turf—and most recently finished third at Monmouth Park on a good turf course on September 6. Casse believes the horse will benefit from Gulfstream’s firmer turf.
Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Sonny Leon will pilot Win for the Money from the rail post carrying 123 pounds, just one pound less than topweight Divin Propos. They are both listed with 4-1 odds on the morning line. Casse expressed confidence in Leon’s riding and noted the race appears competitive with plenty of early speed, expecting Leon to conserve ground on the first turn.
Neat, competing from the outermost Post 9, will make his 23rd career start and his first under new ownership by Paradise Farms Corp., David Staudacher, and trainer Mike Maker. The chestnut son of Constitution, a 2014 Florida Derby (G1) winner, was claimed for $80,000 after finishing fifth at Kentucky Downs on September 7. Neat has accumulated seven wins and over $1 million in earnings and has secured five stakes victories, including the Transylvania (G3), Manila (G3), and Hall of Fame (G2) in 2024 under former trainer Rob Atras. Gulfstream will mark his 12th racetrack across seven states.
Trainer Mike Maker, who won the 2016 Miami Mile with Smokem Kitten and is known for turning claimers into graded-stakes winners, believes Neat still has the class to compete at this level despite possibly being past his peak. Maker likes the post position and expects there to be plenty of pace in the race. Neat will wear blinkers for the first time and carry 120 pounds with jockey Edwin Gonzalez, who recently won his first Grade 1 race aboard Forged Steel at Santa Anita.
The morning line favorite at lukewarm 3-1 odds is Divin Propos, owned and trained by Sunshine Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr. This French-bred 6-year-old gelding, who won two of seven starts in France before arriving in the U.S. in summer 2024, broke an 11-race losing streak with a half-length victory in the Mambo Meister overnight handicap on September 5 at Gulfstream. Carrying top weight of 124 pounds, he starts from Post 6 with Rasheed Hughes aboard.
Also of note in the field is Steal Sunshine, a 7-year-old graded winner of the 2024 Gulfstream Park Mile (G2) on dirt, now chasing $1 million in career earnings. He has yet to win in six turf starts but finished a solid fourth behind Divin Propos in the Mambo Meister. Additional entries include stakes winners Prevent, who excels on Gulfstream’s Tapeta surface, and Tank, a multiple turf stakes victor at Gulfstream. Others like Indecisiveness, I Know I Know, and longshot Jayhawk round out the field.
This article originally appeared in the Paulick Report’s News section on September 30, 2026.
Fan Take: This matchup highlights the exciting depth and versatility among turf milers across age groups, showcasing horses with rich graded-stakes pedigrees and diverse running styles. For horse racing fans, Saturday’s Miami Mile promises thrilling competition that could set the tone for turf racing prestige at Gulfstream Park this season.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
