Trainer Marty Wolfson, who has established a pattern of running
multiple runners in stakes races in recent years with considerable
success, has entered an uncoupled team of four fillies and mares in the
field of 10 drawn for Saturday’s $150,000 Inside Information Stakes (G2)
with Regis Farms’ Golden Mystery the likely favorite in the
seven-furlong test under leading jockey Javier Castellano.
Golden Mystery will go to the post sporting different colors than
she did winning the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint
by 5 ¼ lengths here on Jan. 19 and the $150,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes
(G3) by 3 1/2 lengths on Feb. 10 for owner Farnsworth Stables.
Only a day after the Hurricane Bertie, Golden Mystery was sold by
Farnsworth at auction for $625,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter
Mixed sales to Regis Farm, but the 7-year-old mare was shipped back to
Wolfson’s Calder barn by the end of that week when the new connections
made a decision to keep her in training for now.
“This race is at seven-eighths, which I think is her best distance.
We’ve talked about possibly running her in the Humana Distaff at
Churchill on Derby Day, which is also at seven-eighths, but nothing
beyond that,” said Wolfson, referring to the $300,000 Humana Distaff
(G1) on Sat., May 4.
In addition to Golden Mystery, Wolfson has entered Farnsworth’s
5-year-old Spectacular Sky, Joel Rosario; Thoroughbred Futures Racings’
5-year-old Nakano, John Velazquez; and Chasing Tails Stables’ 4-year-old
Starship Truffles, Corey Lanerie; in Saturday’s race.
Spectacular Sky is a daughter of Sky Mesa who won the seven-furlong
Manatee Stakes last out at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 9. Nakano, by First
Samurai, rallied for third behind Golden Mystery last out in the
Hurricane Bertie. A daughter of Ghostzapper, Starship Truffles is on a
five-race win streak while competing in starter/allowance races, the
last three at this meet.
“I’ll probably run three,” said Wolfson, who has had a solid meet
this season with 14 wins and 12 seconds from 53 starts. “Spectacular
Sky will be in front. Golden Mystery comes from off the pace and Nakano
comes from even farther back, so I don’t think they will get in each
other’s way.
“Starship Truffles is the one I might hold out and possibly run her
in the Rampart. What she was last year running for, sixty-two fifty
($6,250) is not what she is now,” added Wolfson, referring to the fact
that she raced for a claiming tag of $6,250 last summer at Calder for
previous connections before coming into Wolfson’s care in September.
The $150,000 Rampart Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 mile will be run on Florida Derby Day, Sat., March 30.
Trainer Rusty Arnold, who is slated to send out G. Watts Humphrey,
Jr.’s 4-year-old filly Centre Court as the likely choice in Saturday’s
$150,000 Honey Fox Stakes (G2), will have a contender for Humphrey as
well in Sunday’s $150,000 Inside Information in 4-year-old Kentucky
homebred Ice Cream Silence, who is scheduled to be ridden by Jesus
Castanon.
A daughter of Street Sense, Ice Cream Silence makes her first start
since a runner-up effort in the 1 1/16 miles Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie
Meadows on June 30. That followed a three-race win streak that began at
Gulfstream early last year in late when she broke her maiden by 4 ½
lengths going seven furlongs in her third career start last March.
“I’ve had her ready to run for about three weeks, but couldn’t get a
race to go for her,” said Arnold. “I entered her in races from six
furlongs to a mile-and-and-a-sixteenth. I really didn’t want to start
her out in a Graded stakes off that kind of layoff, but that’s the way
it has worked out. She’s doing good.”
A big question in the field for the Inside Information will be
Brenda Mercer and Peter Berglar’s 4-year-old filly Emma’s Encore with
jockey Joe Rocco, Jr. named to ride for Hall of Fame trainer Allen
Jerkens. The daughter of Congrats emerged as a major player among
sprinters her age last summer winning the Victory Ride Stakes (G3) at
Belmont Park in July and the Prioress Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in early
August.
Emma’s Encore won a pair of races over the Gulfstream track early
last year before shipping north and ran an even second behind Golden
Mystery in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint on Jan. 19 in
her first start of the season, but disappointed last out when finishing a
non-threatening fifth behind Golden Mystery in the Hurricane Bertie.
Completing the field for the Inside Information are Charles Dimino’s
Catch a Thief, Alan Garcia; Joseph Sutton’s Burban, Joe Bravo; James
Spence’s Aubby K, Edgar Prado; and J D Farms’ Prize Informant, Edgard
Zayas.