Allowance race draws strong field of 3-year-olds
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The road to the Triple Crown officially started in South Florida on New Year’s Day with the running of the one-mile Mucho Macho Man. It continues Sunday at Gulfstream Park with an $86,000 entry-level allowance race, also at a mile for 3-year-olds, that has attracted a field that may be every bit as good – if not better – than the one in the Mucho Macho Man.
Trainers Dale Romans and Todd Pletcher have two horses apiece in the field. Romans entered Deer District and Cyclone Mischief, but said he will scratch Deer District. Pletcher countered with Rudder’s Men and Litigate.
The lineup also includes Mr. Ripple, a one-sided maiden special weight winner of his only start; promising debut winner Talk of the Nation; Live Is Life, easily the most experienced member in the field; and Welaka.
Cyclone Mischief tries allowance company for the first time after finishing seventh in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs in his juvenile finale. He was beaten less than three lengths after being hard used contesting the pace going 1 1/16 miles. A son of Into Mischief, Cyclone Mischief won his maiden in impressive fashion by 5 1/4 lengths going 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 19 at Keeneland. Cyclone Mischief made a nice local impression when working five furlongs over a muddy track in 59.40 seconds on Dec. 28.
“He’s doing great and I think he’s a quality horse coming out of a real quality race, during which he did all the dirty work early but could not quite close the deal,” Romans said. “I believe this is every bit as good a race as the stakes last weekend, which you come to expect down in Florida this time of year.”
Rudder’s Men ran to his 1-2 backing in his only start, cruising to an easy 4 1/4-length maiden tally running seven furlongs on Oct. 22 at Aqueduct. He earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure. His effort was flattered after the second- and third-place finishers, Classic Legacy and Classic Catch, each came back to easily win his maiden. Rudder’s Men has continued to train forwardly for at Palm Beach Downs, where he’s had six half-mile works including a bullet in 48.80 on Dec. 23.
Litigate was not as flashy a debut winner as his stablemate Rudder’s Men. He rallied wide to a game three-quarter-length decision in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash on Nov. 19 at Aqueduct. He also is training well at Palm Beach Downs.
:: Get ready for Gulfstream Park racing with DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports.
Mr. Ripple won off by 9 1/4 lengths in his only start, which came going one mile here Oct. 15. He was being pointed to the Remsen at Aqueduct by trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., but came down with a minor illness and had to bypass that event.
“He’s not a flashy work horse and really exceeded expectations in his first start,” Joseph said. “This is obviously a very competitive race, as are most allowances for 3-year-olds down here in the winter, and we should know where we stand with him after Sunday.”
Joseph has three horses aiming for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 28. The most accomplished of the trio is Grade 1 winner White Abarrio, who was set down for a serious work here Friday, going five furlongs in 59.17 before continuing three-quarters under steady urging in a lively 1:11.78.
“I was very pleased with his work today,” Joseph said. “He finished up well, 22 and 4 for the final quarter. I’m really happy with where we are with him right now. This is probably the happiest I’ve been with him in a long time.”
Joseph also plans to run Skippylongstocking and O’Connor in the Pegasus World Cup. Skippylongstocking won the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday last Saturday, with O’Connor in fourth.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.