If first impressions mean anything, longtime Southern California mainstays Drayden Van Dyke and Kent Desormeaux may be calling South Florida home before very long. Van Dyke and Desormeaux each spent one weekend riding at Gulfstream on a trial basis over the past several weeks with both finding considerable success in a short period of time. Van Dyke, 29, won with five of the nine mounts he accepted locally last weekend, all for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. Desormeaux won with two of the four rides he had at Gulfstream the previous week. Not surprisingly, both will have a busy schedule this coming weekend, including mounts in Saturday’s headliner, the $90,000 Powder Break, with Joseph giving Van Dyke the call on key contender Angel Nadeshko and Desormeaux, who is named on 11 horses from Thursday through the end of the weekend, listed to ride Napa Candy in the main event for trainer Joe Orseno. Joseph reached out to Van Dyke’s agent, Ryan Cosato, with whom he has had a relationship for many years, and asked if his rider would be interested in a 30-day trial run at Gulfstream. He hoped to get the 2014 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice’s career back on track following a self-imposed three-month hiatus last fall and a frustrating opening first half to the season in which he rode only two winners and had 13 seconds from 57 mounts at Santa Anita during the winter and spring. :: Get the Inside Track with the FREE DRF Morning Line Email Newsletter. Subscribe now.  Joseph explained that he had a chance encounter on the backstretch with Drayden’s father, Seth Van Dyke, who was working as a valet and exercise rider at Gulfstream just prior to his passing 10 years ago. Joseph said he has followed Drayden’s career from afar ever since. “I never really knew either much at all, but I did know what Drayden had accomplished and it looked like recently he was taking some blows and needed help, a change,” Joseph said. “And if you are in a position to help someone get their career going, why not help.” Joseph said after bringing Van Dyke cross-country, he was relieved when he won with his first mount and then experienced even further success last weekend. Joseph was quick to point out, though, that Edgard Zayas, with whom he has formed a potent team the past several years, remains his stable’s first-call rider. “Edgard is still number one in the barn, but there are times, like Saturday when he was out of town or we have multiple horses in a race, when I will have the opportunity to ride Drayden,” Joseph said. “Ultimately, I think he’ll catch on down here, , and wind up in the top five in the standings.” Sano pair look strong Friday’s main event is a modest $44,000 starter carded at seven furlongs on the main track for 3-year-olds. Trainer Antonio Sano seemingly holds the upper hand having entered likely favorites Improptude, runner-up in the Hutcheson earlier this season, and the speedy Unequivocally. The pair will face five rivals, including impressive debut winner Awesome Beast for trainer Kathy Davey. Improptude and Unequivocally finished third and fourth, respectively, in a seven-furlong overnight dash won by stakes winner and odds-on favorite Frankie’s Empire on June 2. :: Bet the races with a $200 First Deposit Match + FREE All Access PPs! Join DRF Bets. Awesome Beast drew off to a 7 1/2-length victory, earning a 79 Beyer Figure while racing under a $35,000 price tag in his only previous start on May 23. ◗ There will be a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool on Saturday’s 11-race card with the Powder Break Stakes and a $75,000 overnight handicap for older horses on the main track part of the sequence. A carryover of approximately $600,000 is expected if the bet is not hit either Thursday or Friday. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.