Photo: MEC
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Farm’s Bim Bam and Joseph Riccelli’s Asphalt finished first and third,
respectively, in the $125,000 Hallandale Beach Stakes over the Gulfstream Park turf course on Feb. 7, and meet
again Saturday in a field of nine 3-year-olds drawn for the $150,000 Palm Beach
Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Jockey
Eibar Coa gets a return call on Bim Bam for trainer David Brownlee after his
game nose victory over Interactif in the Hallandale
Beach
with Asphalt two lengths back in third in the 1 1/16 miles test. The Florida
homebred son of Deputy Wild Cat has posted earnings of nearly $300,000 with a
9-4-1-4 record.
Bim Bam
made the first six starts of his career on the main track at Calder, finishing
third in all three divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes series behind
Jackson Bend, punctuated by a victory in the Foolish Pleasure Stakes. In two
starts on turf before the Hallandale
Beach,
he won the Arthur Appleton Juvenile Turf at Calder in November and lost a neck
decision finishing second in the Dania
Beach
here on Jan. 16.
Asphalt
is son of Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner War Chant trained by Eddie Kenneally
and won an allowance race over the course on Jan. 13 in his first start since a
game runner-up effort behind Lost Aptitude in a Churchill Downs turf allowance
in early November.
Finishing
sixth behind Bim Bam in the Hallandale
Beach
was Augustin Stable’s Cat
Park,
but he gets another chance Saturday for trainer Graham Motion with John
Velazquez aboard for the first time. The Pennsylvania homebred by Tale of the
Cat was beaten only 4 ½ lengths by Bim Bam after a strong third-place
performance in the Tropical Park Derby (G3) on New Year’s Day at Calder when
beaten only a length.
Completing
the field for the Palm
Beach are Donegal Racing’s
Paddy O’Prado, Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Dean’s Kitten, Michael Sucher’s Our
Champion, Namcook Stable’s Lethal Combination, J. Mack Robinson’s Center
Divider and James Karp’s Mutiny.
Lori and
George Hall’s In the Rough and Brereton Jones’ Check the Label finished one-two
last out in the $125,000 Coconut Grove Stakes on Feb. 14, separated by a
half-length; and will likely be the favorites in a field of 10 3-year-old
fillies set for the $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3), also to be run at 1
1/8 miles on turf.
Jockey
John Velazquez picks up the mount on In the Rough for trainer Kelly Breen, who
also sends out the Halls’ Profiteroles as an uncoupled entry with Elvis
Trujillo named to ride. In the Rough is a daughter of Stormy Atlantic that had
finished a close-up second an allowance race over the Gulfstream course on Jan.
23 in her grass course debut after winning one of four starts on dirt to begin
her career.
Jockey
Alan Garcia gets a return call on Check the Label for trainer Graham Motion and
was the beaten favorite in the Coconut Grove. The daughter of Stormin Fever had
one win and two seconds in four previous starts on turf and finished a
respectable third behind Sassy Image in the ‘off the turf’ Sweetest Chant
Stakes here on Jan. 17 before the Coconut Grove.
Completing
the field for the Herecomesthebride are Charles Deters’ Splendid Sound,
Pinnacle Racing Stable’s Musical Romance, Stone Farm and partners’ Upperline,
Jack Swain III’s Apple Charlotte, Mary and Chester Broman’s Khancord Kid, Lewis
Lakin’s Dynazaper and Teresa and David Palmer’s Tesoro de Amor.
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