Photo: MEC
Robert Leibner’s highly-consistent 6-year-old gelding Bad Debt ran a
good third in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park a
year ago behind Eclipse Award candidate Little Mike and Slews Answer,
and will get another try in next Saturday’s renewal of the 1 1/8 miles
turf test.
“We’re planning to run," said trainer Michael Trombetta from Laurel
Park where he has his main division in action while having a small South
Florida string.
“He had a little trouble at the start in the race last year, but
nobody was going to beat Little Mike that day. He’s been a very reliable
horse and fun to have over the past few years.” A son of Grand Reward,
Bad Debt finished sixth last out in a bulky field of 13 behind Nikki’s
Sandcastle in the one-mile El Prado Stakes here on Dec. 22, although
beaten only 3 ½ lengths for it all.
The El Prado broke a streak of 19 races in which Bad Debt had
finished one-two-three going back to November of 2010. Trombetta claimed
Bad Debt for his Washington D.C. owner at Monmouth Park on June 18 for
$35,000. His two biggest victories have both come in the $125,000 Bonnie
Heath Turf Cup at Calder in 2011 defeating Picou and again last
November by a neck over Speak Easy Gal.
Live Oak Plantation’s 6-year-old gelding Slews Answer, runner-up to
Little Mike in the Sunshine Millions Turf last year, is also training at
Palm Meadows, but trainer Graham Motion said Friday afternoon that his
participation was “doubtful as of today. I was hoping for him to make
the race, but we’ve cut it a little close and not sure he can be ready.”
A son of Ghostzapper, Slews Answer didn’t make his career debut
until he was a 4-year-old here in early 2011, winning his debut on turf
and finishing second in an allowance race before scoring in the Turf
Classic at Tampa Bay Downs in his third start.
Following the Sunshine Millions last year he made only two more
starts, finishing third defending his Turf Classic victory at Tampa Bay
and a sixth-place finish last out in the Da Hoss Stakes at Colonial
Downs on June 16.