To fully appreciate the title to this article please throw on Aerosmith’s Dude Looks Like a Lady, and turn the dial all the way up to eleven. And ratcheting up the dial is exactly what eight newly turned sophomores will be shooting for, as they face off in a Gulfstream Park allowance in tomorrow’s ninth race.
Am I really writing about the pre-race virtues of an allowance race? Yes, that is exactly what I am doing, and if recent history has any bearing on 2011, the write-up should prove well deserved. Consider four separate allowance races run last year at Gulfstream. On January 7, budding star Eskendereya defeated a field that included future multiple stakes winners Pleasant Prince, and Prince Will I Am. There was January 18, where Florida Derby winner, Ice Box, edged out Pleasant Prince. January 31 saw Belmont winner, Drosselmeyer take down Prince Will I Am, as well as, Blue Grass hero Stately Victor. Who can forget February 21 when top sophomore Fly Down got the best of Preakness runner-up, First Dude, with multiple stakes winner Colizeo, a little farther back. Clearly Gulfstream Park allowance races have the history to back up the hype. Tomorrow’s feature looks like another loaded affair.
The roll of favorite should fall on either Soldat or Dialed In. The latter has made only one start, but it was one of the more talked about juvenile debuts last season. After breaking slowly, the son of Mineshaft closed with flair to win the maiden race at Churchill Downs impressively. He has been working sharply at Palm Meadows for trainer Nick Zito. Morning line favorite Soldat is coming off a strong second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. The winner of the grade 3 With Anticipation on the Saratoga turf, is 0 for 2 on dirt, but they came in his first two lifetime races where he finished second both times.
Also of major interest is Angel Penna Jr.‘s Cool Blue Red Hot who ran a big debut when second by a nose to the promising Buffum in a sharp Belmont maiden, before returning with an effortless maiden win at Calder. Todd Pletcher has a pair of well bred and undefeated recent winners in Ashado’s little brother Lauburu, who won at Aqueduct, while Financial Empire, a good looking son of Empire Maker, took his debut in a one mile maiden at Calder.
Last but not least in this field are Carl Nafzger’s Beamer, who is coming off a big win against Tampa maidens, Halo's Thunder, a son of Thunder Gulch, who twice rallied for fourth in graded stakes races last Fall at Churchill Downs, and Mas Trueno who broke his maiden in his first try on dirt, and will be making his first start for trainer Will Phipps.
It may say allowance on the program, but this race promises to be better than most Derby trail stakes races this year. Enjoy it racefans!