Jacks
or Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold’s team of 2-year-old homebreds continue
to gear up for the rich Florida Stallion Stakes finales to be run on the
$850,000 Festival of Sun program at Calder Casino & Race Course on
Sat., Oct. 15 as Redbud Road worked six furlongs in 1:13 4/5 Sunday morning for
her role as one of the favorites in the $300,000 My Dear Girl Division at 1
1/16 miles.
A
chestnut daughter of Awesome of Course, Redbud Road was the early leader of her
division here this season as she won the $100,000 JJ’s Dream Stakes in early
July and the $75,000 Desert Vixen Division of the FSS in early August before a
heart-breaker nose loss when second to Harold Queen’s Queen Drama in the $125,000
Susan’s Girl Division as the favorite last out on Aug. 27.
Redbud
Road will get the rematch with Queen Drama in the My Dear Girl and will also
face Jacks or Better-owned stablemate Awesome Belle in the race, the latter
with solid credentials of her own. Also by Awesome of Course, Awesome Belle
finished third in the Susan’s Girl with trouble in the race. Awesome Belle
worked three-quarters Friday morning in 1:13 1/5.
The
Jacks or Better team has the favorite for the $300,000 In Reality ‘open’
Division finale of the FSS series, also at 1 1/16 miles, in Fort Loudon, a colt
by Awesome of Course that will bid for a sweep after capturing the $75,000 Dr.
Fager and $125,000 Affirmed divisions. He worked three-quarters Friday morning
in 1:13 2/5 and also could have a Jacks or Better running mate in Argentine
Tango.
A
son of Black Mambo, Argentine Tango chased Fort Loudon home second in both the
Dr. Fager and Affirmed, beaten two lengths in the latter after a slow start.
Argentine Tango also had finished second in the $100,000 Frank Gomez Memorial
before the Stallion Stakes.
In
addition to the two Florida Stallion Stakes finales on the Festival
stakes line-up will be the $100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap (G3) for 3-year-olds
and up at 1 1/16 miles with Quantum Racing Team #1’s 6-year-old gelding Mambo
Meister, a local favorite leading the field; and renewals of the $75,000
Tropical Park Derby and $75,000 Frances A. Genter Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1
1/16 miles on turf, the latter for fillies.