Wolfie’s Dynaghost Sets New Nine-Furlong Turf Record In Ft. Lauderdale

[Wandering Eyes]

Not to be outdone by 6-year-old Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) in the GIII Harlan's Holiday one race prior, classy Woodslane Farm homebred Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper) went not one but two better, winning the GIII Ft. Lauderdale Stakes as a 7-year-old in record time.

The Brian Lynch trainee, making his 32nd start Saturday, took over a year off following a run at Turfway Park in the GIII Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes in March of 2024. Remarkably, the gelded son of the great Ghostzapper returned as a 7-year-old in June of this year, winning a stakes race at Laurel Park late in the month. A second going 1 3/8 miles at Saratoga has been his only blemish in the three starts since as then-trainer Jonathan Thomas wrapped things up at Colonial Downs Sept. 13 before Lynch took over for his win in the GIII River City Stakes under the Twin Spires Nov. 8. Those last two wins, both coming in gate-to-wire fashion, set Wolfie's Dynaghost up Saturday in this prep race for the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational held next month at Gulfstream Park.

Drawn along the fence in the two slot, the speedy 4-5 favorite has no issue out-sprinting this field to the early advantage with Quatrocento (War Front) keeping pace initially on the run into the clubhouse turn. It was a short distance back to Cugino (Twirling Candy) who enjoyed a perfect trip in third just off the heels of Wolfie's Dynaghost who sped out on a loose rein under Irad Ortiz Jr.

Still unpressured through a half mile in :45.84, the favorite looked every bit the winner as the field fanned out behind him to challenge with a quarter left to run. Ortiz, motionless for much of the running thus far, shook his reins a bit into the final furlong and Wolfie's Dynaghost hit another gear, bursting away even as Cugino came off of cover to make a run at him. But the pacesetter was not for catching, staying safely ahead the length of the stretch to win in a dazzling final time of 1:43.42, a new record time for nine furlongs on the turf in North America. Cugino ran second at odds of 7-2 and 8-1 shot Beach Gold (Omaha Beach) beat in the rest of the field to finish third.

“Irad told me, 'You did all the hard work and I was just the driver,'” Lynch said. “It's lovely to see an old horse like that just come into himself and get better and better with racing.”

Ortiz added, “He broke on his own. I didn't do too much. He has speed so Brian told me, 'Try to make the lead if you can. He broke sharp. I let him find his rhythm. He came back to me. He relaxed so well. After that I just let him do his thing and relax until it was time to roll. He was very professional. When we made the second turn he was traveling the same way as he was on the backstretch. Turning for home, I asked him and he exploded.”

Wolfie's Dynaghost looks primed for a run at the Pegasus Turf with Lynch saying, “No doubt. This race was a great steppingstone for it and to run the way he ran today, I think he deserves it. He's got an aura of confidence about him right now. When you see a horse run the first quarter in 22 and change and have his ears pricked like a deer in the meadow going down the backside, you know they're pretty comfortable and you know they're feeling good. I thought it was a very good field of horses and I thought to go as hard as he did early and to finish up as strong as he did, there's just no doubt he's in very good form right now.”

Pedigree Note:
Though unraced herself, Dynaire has made the most of her broodmare career. Woodslane Farm purchased her for $360,000 as a yearling from Keeneland September in 2009 and, with seven winners from 11 to race, this Dynaformer mare has produced the likes to GI Sword Dancer Stakes winner and sire Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy) whose $2.6m in earnings manage to eclipse that of even Wolfie's Dynaghost. Those half-brothers share plenty of other nice siblings as well including SP Lunaire (Malibu Moon) and SP Dyna Passer (Lemon Drop Kid) who herself has produced the stakes-winning 2-year-old of this year Sister Troienne (Munnings). Further back in the pedigree is MGISW Sabin (Lyphard).

Canadian legend Ghostzapper certainly needs introduction, having sired the likes of Shaman Ghost, Moira and two-time Eclipse winner Goodnight Olive. Dynaire foaled a filly by the red-hot sire Not This Time in 2024 who is her last reported foal.

 

Wolfie's Dynaghost digs in to win the Fort Lauderdale G3 for trainer @BLynchRacing. A Hat Trick today for jockey @iradortiz! #GulfstreamPark #ChampionshipMeet pic.twitter.com/1kbILjzoLW

— Gulfstream Park (@GulfstreamPark) December 20, 2025

Saturday, Gulfstream Park
FT. LAUDERDALE S.-GIII, $200,000, Gulfstream, 12-20, 3yo/up,
1 1/8mT, 1:43.42 (NCR), fm.
1–WOLFIE'S DYNAGHOST, 126, g, 7, by Ghostzapper
1st Dam: Dynaire, by Dynaformer
2nd Dam: Binya (Ger), by Royal Solo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Beaconaire, by Vaguely Noble
O/B-Woodslane Farm (KY); T-Brian A Lynch; J-Irad Ortiz Jr.
$120,280. Lifetime Record: 32-14-3-5, $1,350,627. *1/2 to
Dyna Passer (Lemon Drop Kid), SP, $232,330; Lunaire (Malibu
Moon), SP, $249,950; and Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy), GISW,
$2,679,910. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cugino, 126, c, 4, Twirling Candy–Adorable Miss, by Kitten's
Joy. ($225,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-West Point Thoroughbreds &
Jimmy Kahig LLC; B-Gage Hill Stables LLC & W S Farish (KY);
T-Claude R McGaughey III. $38,800.
3–Beach Gold, 123, c, 4, Omaha Beach–Orrery, by Smart Strike.
($235,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP). O/B-JSM Equine LLC (KY);
T-Patrick L Biancone. $19,400.
Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, NK. Odds: 0.90, 3.50, 8.00.
Also Ran: Divin Propos (Fr), Chasing the Crown, Quatrocento, Steal Sunshine, Siege of Boston. Scratched: Major Dude, Naptown. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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