Bar of Gold starts season in ambitious spot

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A field of 10 older fillies and mares will hook up in Saturday’s Grade 2 Inside Information, led by Stonetastic, who will try to get back to the Breeders’ Cup for a third consecutive time later this year. Stonetastic will face Bar of Gold, Engaginglee, Flutterby, Tiger Ride, You Bought Her, Dogwood Trail and the Marty Wolfson-trained trio of Best Behavior, Kiss to Remember, and Miss Melinda.

Bar of Gold will launch her 2016 campaign in the seven-furlong Inside Information, with trainer John Kimmel optimistic that his Grade 1-placed filly will move forward from ages 3 to 4.

“Originally, I was going to send her up to New York for an allowance race there, but she wasn’t able to get a spot on the van,” said Kimmel. “It’s usually not my M.O. to run in a stakes first time off the layoff, but there was nothing here in the book coming up that she was eligible for, so we went to Plan B, which was this race. She’s been training very well – she’s always been a terrific work horse – and she’s definitely a bigger, stronger filly than she was last year.

“This is a good starting point for her. I’m not sure she needs to run her top race straight out of the box. But I think she’s dead fit, and hopefully she’ll get something out of it, and then we can map out our strategy for the rest of the year.”

A trio of shippers from Tampa Bay Downs may vie for top honors in Saturday’s $75,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs. Morning Fire and Epic Journey, the first two finishers in the seven-furlong Pasco Stakes, will match strides again, although it might be the undefeated Tiger Blood who’ll be favored.

Tiger Blood, a son of Cowtown Cat, has won his two starts by a combined 15 lengths and may stand some catching once again in a field that also includes Bullet Gone Astray, Dan the Go to Man, John Q Publish, and Union Vow.