Trainer John Sadler aims for his third straight
victory in the $150,000 A Gleam Handicap for fillies and mares Saturday when he
plans to send out Emmy Darling in the Grade II test at seven furlongs.
Emmy Darling, a 4-year-old chestnut filly, scored her
only other added-money victory here in the Landaluce in her second start in
2008. Victorious in four of 18 starts, Emmy Darling will try to bounce back
from a troubled fifth-place finish in the Winning Colors Stakes at Churchill
Downs May 31.
Sadler won the A Gleam in contrasting styles the past
two years: Dearest Trickski wire to wire in 2008, and Evita Argentina
from last in a field of nine last year. Joel Rosario, who rode Evita Argentina,
has the call on Emmy Darling.
Other probable starters are Desert Stormer Handicap
winner Free Flying Soul (Mike Smith), Milady Handicap winner Made for Magic
(Omar Berrio), Moon de French (Martin Garcia), Sweet August Moon (Victor
Espinoza) and Will O Way
(Tyler Baze).
In the 55-year history of the A Gleam, only three
trainers have won it three times: Clyde Turk and Hall of Famers Laz Barrera and
Bobby Frankel.