Patricia
Generazio’s 7-year-old Presious Passion worked a mile in 1:40 flat Thursday
morning at Gulfstream
Park
as he prepares for the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G3) to be run at 1 3/8
miles on turf on Sun., Feb. 28, a race he won last year for trainer Mary
Hartmann early in his best season ever.
Presious
Passion went on to score a repeat victory in the United Nations Stakes (G1) at
Monmouth Park in early July, won the Clement Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita
in October and ran the race of his life to finish second in the $3 million
Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 7, beaten a half-length by
defending champion Conduit.
A
chestnut son of Royal Anthem, Presious Passion arrived in South Florida in time
to bid for a third straight victory in the 12-furlong W.L. McKnight Handicap
(G2) at Calder on Dec. 26, but checked in fifth in his last start.
Hartmann
has indicated that the Mac Diarmida will serve as a tune-up for Presious
Passion to go to Dubai
for the $5 million Sheema Classic (G1) going 12 furlongs at the new Meydan Race
Course on Mar. 27.
Presious
Passion leads the list of 30 older horse nominated for the Mac Diarmida that
will be one of four Graded stakes to be run next weekend at Gulfstream Park,
preceded Saturday by renewals of the $150,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) for
3-year-old fillies at one mile, the $100,000 Sabin Stakes (G3) for fillies and
mares at one mile and the $100,000 The Very One Stakes (G3) for fillies and
mares at 1 3/8 miles on turf.
Other
accomplished stakes runners on the Mac Diarmida roster include Harlequin
Ranches’ Spice Route
and Mr. and Mrs. Bert Firestone’s Winchester,
second and third, respectively, behind Cloudy’s Knight in the W.L. McKnight;
Starlight Partners’ Take the Points, disqualified winner of the Gulfstream Turf
Handicap (G1) last out on Feb.6; and Marc Keller’s multiple Grade 1 winner
Grand Couturier.
Nancy
Mazzoni’s 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) winner and Eclipse champion filly
She Be Wild is prominent on the nomination list for the Davona Dale along with
Lori and George Hall’s Bickerson and Jerry Romans’ Sassy Image.
Bickersons
romped home a seven lengths winner of the seven-furlong Forward Gal Stakes (G2)
here on Jan. 31 for trainer Kelly Breen with She Be Wild fifth as the favorite
for trainer Wayne Catalano, although going a distance likely short of her best
in her first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup on Nov. 6.
Sassy
Image completed her juvenile campaign for trainer Dale Romans winning the
Pocahontas Stakes (G3) and Golden Rod Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs by two and
3 ¾ lengths, respectively. The daughter of Broken Vow came back with a 4 ½
lengths victory in the ‘off the turf’ Sweetest Chant Stakes here on Jan. 17 to
launch her 3-year-old campaign.
West
Point Thoroughbreds and partners’ 4-year-old filly Justwhistledixie swept the
Davona Dale Stakes and Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2) here early last year for trainer
Kiaran McLaughlin and is back this winter with trainer Bill Mott and nominated
for the Sabin.
A
daughter of Dixie Union, Justwhistledixie went on to finish second in the Acorn
Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park in the spring before being sidelined until late
November when she finished second in the Top Flight Handicap (G2) at
Aqueduct in his first start for Mott. In one outing since the Top Flight, she
finished fourth trying the Pro-Ride synthetic surface at Santa Anita in the El
Encino Stakes (G2) on Jan. 17.
Edward
P. Evans’ 4-year-old filly Casanova Move finished second behind
Justwhistledixie in the Davona Dale and Bonnie Miss last year for trainer Jimmy
Jerkens and returns this year with trainer Todd Pletcher, training strongly for
her first start since finishing third in the Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on
Aug. 22. She is nominated for the Sabin.
World-Wide Audience for
Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth
The 64th
renewal of the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes, a stepping stone to the
Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby, will broadcast to an international audience—more
people than ever before-- via live radio, television and the world wide web.
For the
second straight year, Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN) kicks-off their
award-winning Road to the Triple Crown coverage at Gulfstream Park Racing and
Casino, with a live, two hour special starting at 4pm eastern. Available on
various radio outlets across the nation and live streaming at www.horseracingradio.net, the
second hour of the program hosted by Mike Penna and Jude Feld will be available
locally on WFTL 640AM out of Fort Lauderdale starting at 5 pm.
On the
television side, Eclipse Award-winning journalist Jay Privman of Daily Racing
Form will be on site in South Florida, joining Gulfstream
Park
regulars Caton Bredar and Alyssa Ali for live coverage throughout the day on
HRTV network beginning at noon Eastern. On-line subscribers can also
catch the action 24/7 from the sport’s most popular channel at www.hrtv.com.
Features
and race replays for all the action from Gulfstream are always available on the
Park’s YouTube channel, www.YouTube.com/gulfstreamparkracing.com.
Fountain of Youth Day updates, features and lively conversation will be the
calling card this Saturday, and every Saturday, via Gulfstream’s Park’s
Facebook page www.facebook/gulfstreampark.com,
and for handicapping information, race by race analysis, money plays and more,
log on to www.gulfstreampark.com.
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