Artos must beat Mystic Eyes in Melody of Colors Stakes

One week ahead of the huge Florida Derby card, a pair of $75,000 turf sprints for 3-year-olds will anchor an 11-race Saturday program at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Melody of Colors (race 7), for fillies, and the Texas Glitter (race 9), both set for five furlongs on the grass, are the co-features of a card that starts at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. A forecast of mostly sunny skies and a high of 85 means all four turf races likely will be held as scheduled.

Both stakes are part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 6-11), which can be expected to offer a gross pool of at least $400,000, assuming a solo winner does not sweep the jackpot Thursday or Friday.

The Grade 1 Florida Derby and nine other stakes are set for next Saturday, April 2. The four-month championship meet ends the following day.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Melody of Colors

Artos returns from a layoff of more than nine months when she faces 11 other fillies in the Melody of Colors, her first race since she was a creditable fourth in a field of 21 in the Group 2 Queen Mary last June at Royal Ascot.

“She was a pretty exciting 2-year-old for us last year,” said Rusty Arnold, who trains Artos for a four-way partnership. “After the race overseas, she came up with a little issue at Saratoga that required some time off. She came back to me after we shipped to Florida in December and has really done well in her training. I’d have to think she has a big chance to win if she returns to form.”

The Irish-bred Artos earned her trip to England with a gutsy maiden victory versus male rivals in May over the Churchill Downs turf. She’ll have Julien Leparoux riding from post 4.

The likely favorite is Mystic Eyes (post 6, Javier Castellano), whose solid form last fall makes her the one to beat.

Mystic Eyes is trained by Todd Pletcher, who earlier in the day will be in Dubai to run Life Is Good in the $12 million Dubai World Cup under the Meydan lights.

Half of the field is running without Lasix after being treated with the bleeder medication in their last start, although that’s not the case for Artos or Mystic Eyes.

Upset considerations include Fawning, American Starlet, and Comedic, all of them maiden winners at the meet, along with the Japanese-bred filly Cardio Princess.

Texas Glitter

Several exciting prospects who earned notable Beyer Speed Figures in their last start look best in this field of seven colts and geldings, including the three outside horses – High Front, Lucci, and Big Invasion.

High Front (post 5, Emma-Jayne Wilson) got an 87 Beyer in winning on debut in late January.

“He had touted himself going into the race,” said Jonathan Thomas, trainer of the Augustin Stable homebred. “We expected him to run well, but that didn’t mean win or win like he did. He’s since trained well and he’s had a couple of really nice works. I don’t want to throw him into the deep end of the pond, but there’s not a lot of options for him right now.”

Lucci (post 6, Emisael Jaramillo) is named for Mike Lucci, the former NFL linebacker who was a frequent attendee at Gulfstream prior to his death last October at age 81. The Not This Time colt got an 88 Beyer in a mid-January allowance win over the Gulfstream turf when returning from a seven-month layoff dating to a fifth-place finish in the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot.

As for the Norfolk, in which Lucci was beaten only a length for all the money, “we were a winner until five jumps before the line and then they kind of swarmed us,” trainer Wesley Ward said.

“He ran well to win his comeback race, so we’re ready to go,” he said.

:: For the first time ever, our premium past performances are free! Get free Formulator now!

Big Invasion (post 7, Castellano) got a field-high 94 Beyer in an eye-catching maiden win five Saturdays ago and has had two workouts, both bullets, in the interim for trainer Christophe Clement.