Photo: MEC
Lewis
Schaffel’s 4-year-old Kentucky homebred colt Sal the Barber won the Calder
Derby (G3) in mid-October before a disappointing 10th-place finish in the
Hollywood Derby (G1) in late November in his last start of 2009, and is set to
return for another campaign in Sunday’s ‘three other than’ optional/allowance
going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park.
Jockey
Julien Leparoux rides Sal the Barber for trainer Christophe Clement in a field
of seven as he makes his first appearance since chasing The Usual Q.T. home in
the Hollywood Derby on Nov. 29, beaten seven lengths by the winner. A son of
Alphabet Soup, Sal the Barber finished a game second in the Hall of Fame Stakes
(G2) at Saratoga, beaten 1 ¾ lengths by emerging star Courageous Cat before the
Calder victory.
Sal the
Barber’s chief rivals on Sunday would appear to be Darley Stable’s
Japanese-bred 4-year-old Florentino with Alan Garcia to ride for trainer Kiaran
McLaughlin and Lazy F Ranch and William S. Farish’s 4-year-old Pinckney Hill
with Rajiv Maragh aboard for trainer Angel Penna, Jr.
Florentino
finished a game third as the 8-to-5 favorite last out under similar conditions
over the Gulfstream course on Jan. 27 in his first start since finishing eighth
in the Commonwealth Turf (G3) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 15. The son of Swept
Overboard won two of three starts with a second over the course here last
year and went on to capture the Jefferson Cup (G2) at Churchill in the spring
before tailing off form.
Pinckney
Hill looked good winning a ‘two other than’ allowance over the course on Jan.
16 in his first start since a close-up fourth-place effort over the Belmont
Park
course on Oct. 11. The homebred son of A.P. Indy won his first two starts at
Gulfstream and Belmont last year and finished second to Sal the Barber in the
Don Jack overnight stakes at Belmont on July 1 in his third career outing.
Completing
the field for Sunday’s feature are Alghuwayriyah Stable’s Eldaafer, Jeremy
Rose; Caesar Kimmel and partners’ Premium Gold, Edgar Prado; Butterfly Stable’s
Memorial Maniac, C.H. Marquez, Jr.; and Never Better Stable’s Lemon Cream Pie,
Eibar Coa.
Leparoux, Prado &
Bravo in New
York Saturday
Gulfstream
Park-based jockeys Julien Leparoux, Edgar Prado and Joe Bravo make a day-trip
to New
York Saturday for mounts on
3-year-olds in the $250,000 Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct and return Sunday to
ride at Gulfstream.
Leparoux
will be aboard Vinery Stables and Mrs. Susan Roy’s Awesome Act in the Gotham
for English trainer Jeremy Noseda as the chestnut son of Awesome Again makes
his first start since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at
Santa Anita on Nov. 7 when beaten only 1 ¼ lengths for it all Vale of York.
Leparoux,
currently third in the Gulfstream standings behind Javier Castellano and John
Velazquez, will also ride Avalon Farms and Homewrecker Stables 4-year-old
Custom for Carlos earlier on the card as the favorite in the $100,000 Toboggan
Stakes (G3) for trainer Eddie Kenneally. They teamed up to win the $100,000 Mr.
Prospector Stakes (G3) last out at Gulfstream on Jan. 9.
Prado
rides Steel Your Face Stables’ Yawanna Twist in the Gotham for trainer Rick
Dutrow as the New York homebred makes his third start and Bravo gets the call
on George and Lori Hall’s Nacho Friend for trainer Kelly Breen as he makes his
first start since finishing a close-up fourth in the Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga on July 30. The
son of Friends
Lake
trained for his return at Palm Meadows.
Noble’s Promise & She Be Wild
Drill at Gulfstream
Chasing
Dreams Racing 2008 LL’s 3-year-old colt Noble’s Promise worked a sharp five
furlongs in 1:00 1/5 Friday morning at Gulfstream Park for trainer Ken McPeek
as he gets closer to his highly-anticipated season debut expected to come in
the $300,000 Rebel Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park on Sat., Mar. 13
The son
of Cuvee ranked among the nation’s leading 2-year-olds last year finishing a
close-up third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Santa Anita on Nov. 7
behind Vale of York and Lookin at Lucky and completing his campaign finishing
second to Lookin at Lucky in the CashCall Futurity (G1) at Hollywood Park on
Dec. 19, beaten less than a length for it all in both races. Lookin at Lucky
was voted Eclipse champion.
Noble’s
Promise worked in company with Peter Callahan’s 3-year-old filly Beautician,
who was timed two-fifth slower for the five-eighths in 1:00 3/5 for McPeek as
she prepares for her first start since finishing a disappointing seventh-place
in the Hollywood Starlet (G1) behind Blind Luck the day after the CashCall.
Beautician
is a roan/gray daughter of Dehere who finished a strong second in the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita, beaten three-quarters of a
length by She Be Wild, later named Eclipse champion. Beautician is a little
behind Noble’s Promise in her training, and McPeek has not identified a
specific target as yet.
Nancy
Mazzoni’s She Be Wild also was on the Friday morning work tab at Gulfstream as she
went five-eighths in 1:01 1/5 for trainer Wayne Catalano. The daughter of
Offlee Wild has run once this year since the Breeders’ Cup, finishing fifth in
the seven-furlong Forward Gal Stakes (G2) here on Jan. 31, a distance short of
her preferred trip, with the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on Apr. 30
as the main goal.
Notable
on Friday morning’s work tab at Palm Meadows was Donver Stable’s 4-year-old
filly Careless Jewel timed five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 for trainer Josie Carroll
as she prepares for her first start since a disappointing last of eight as the
favorite in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic (G1) behind Life Is Sweet at Santa
Anita on Nov. 6.
The
roan/gray daughter of Tapit earned her favorite’s role with a string of five
straight victories last year before the Breeders’ Cup, winning the Delaware
Oaks (G2) and Alabama Stakes (G1) at Saratoga by more than seven lengths each
and the Fitz Dixon Cotillion Stakes at Philadelphia Park by 3 ½ lengths.
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