After bizarre loss, Drain the Clock tries to rebound in Limehouse Stakes

After finding a new way to lose a race, Drain the Clock will try to start a new winning streak when he meets seven opponents in Saturday’s Limehouse Stakes, one of four $75,000 stakes for 3-year-olds on the undercard of the Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park. The Limehouse will be run at six furlongs on the main track.

Drain the Clock, a son of Maclean’s Music trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. for Slam Dunk Racing, won his first two starts, both on the South Florida circuit. Joseph shipped him to Delta Downs for the $100,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes where, as the even-money favorite, Drain the Clock unseated jockey Heriberto Figueroa midway down the backside.

Though the chart says the iron broke, Joseph said Figueroa told him the jockey’s boot ripped and Figueroa lost his balance and fell off.

“He didn’t break good, he acted up in the gate; we thought that was bad enough,” Joseph said. “Down the backside, I see him fall off. I thought initially he ducked out. [Figueroa] said the sole of his boot ripped and he lost his balance.”

Drain the Clock emerged from the race unscathed and put in a solid half-mile breeze in 47.20 on Dec. 27 at Gulfstream.

“He had a good work last Sunday,” said Joseph, who has Edgard Zayas to ride. “We think he goes there with a good chance. He has to improve, but we think he has license improve.”

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Runway Magic, a son of Runhappy, was a sharp maiden winner on the Nov. 28 Churchill Downs card for trainer Rusty Arnold. Runway Magic cuts back in distance from that seven-furlong race.

Warrior’s Pride has won his last two. He is trained by Antonio Cioffi. Newyearsblockparty, Highway Bound, Tiger, Willy Boi, and Ocean Ride complete the field.

Like a Saltshaker back on turf

Trainer Larry Rivelli looks to continue his solid start at the meet when he runs Like a Saltshaker in the $75,000 Dania Beach going a mile on turf.

Like a Saltshaker finished second in the Awad Stakes on turf at Belmont on Oct. 31. Like a Saltshaker returns to turf after a sixth-place finish as the favorite in the Pennsylvania Nursery Stakes on dirt at Parx. That was his first start since Rivelli got the horse from Vince Foglia’s Patricias Hope LLC.

“He’s a Pennsylvania-bred, so I had to try him on the dirt even though my gut said he was probably a turf or Poly horse,” said Rivelli, who won with two of his first four starters at the meet. “He spun his wheels. He’s a game horse. I think he’ll run good.”

Like a Saltshaker will likely have to run by Kentucky Pharoah and Fighting Force to win the Dania Beach. Kentucky Pharoah was a front-running winner in his turf debut here on Dec. 19. Fighting Force was a good-looking maiden winner when stretched out to a mile here on Dec. 5.

Clement eyes two stakes

Trainer Christophe Clement will take a swing at winning both stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday’s card.

In the $75,000 Glitter Woman, at 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, Clement sends out the uncoupled entry of Hit the Woah and Shop Girl.

In the $75,000 Ginger Brew at a mile on turf, Clement runs Honey Pants.

Hit the Woah, a daughter of Vancouver, won an off-the-turf maiden race at Aqueduct by 1 1/4 lengths in her second career start. The second- and third-place finishers from that race both came back to win their next start.

Shop Girl, a daughter of Constitution, won her debut in an off-the-turf maiden race at Aqueduct on Nov. 27.

Clement said Hit the Woah “is a nice filly.”

“She’s improving, has a beautiful frame,” he said. “I think we’ll run her there this weekend, then give her some time and plan for a 3-year-old campaign in the spring.

“Shop Girl is more of a precocious type of horse,” Clement added. “Even if it’s ambitious, we’ll have a look in order to get her black type.”

Lucifers Lair runs in the Glitter Woman for Todd Pletcher. A debut winner at Saratoga, she has not started since finishing last in the Grade 2 Adirondack Stakes on Aug. 12. Lucifers Lair was also entered in Friday’s Cash Run Stakes, but Pletcher said she would “probably” run Saturday.

Competitive Speed and Dancing Crane are both multiple winners seeking their first stakes success in the Glitter Woman.

In the Ginger Brew, Clement stretches Honey Pants out from six furlongs to a mile. Honey Pants won a six-furlong turf race at Belmont in October and finished second in the Stewart Manor Stakes on Nov. 7.

“I’ve always been lucky stretching horses out at Gulfstream,” Clement said. “Gulfstream sometimes is speed favoring, so it’s a fun place to do that. Her first race on dirt was disappointing. Her next two races were good, she’s training well, we’re excited to see her run.”

Oyster Box stretches out off a solid debut victory at Belmont in October. Con Lima comes off a powerful 5 1/4-length allowance win in her turf debut here on Dec. 12.

Viking Queen, Inthewinnerscircle, Karakatsie, Designer Ready, I Get It, and Sweet Pearl complete the field.