Booklet fulfills plan in In Reality

MIAMI - Trainer Steve Klesaris had the $400,000 In Reality Stakes in his sights for Booklet ever since the diminutive colt won his maiden at Delaware in early July. His plan worked to perfection as Booklet dominated the In Reality, the final leg of the open division of the Florida Stallion Series, with a 4 1/4-length victory over Rulebook and 12 other 2-year-old colts and geldings at Calder on Saturday.

Carey's Gold finished third in his quest to become only the sixth horse to sweep the Stallion Series.

Booklet, whose only loss in five starts was a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, led throughout under Eibar Coa and drew away with authority. He was the third offspring of the stallion Notebook to win a stakes on the $1.5 million Festival of the Sun program, along with Coolbythepool (Shocker T. Handicap) and Fappie's Notebook (Smile Sprint). In Reality runnerup Rulebook is also a son of Notebook.

Booklet, who is owned by Klesaris and Phil and Marcia Cohen, paid $3.80. His final time for 1 1/16 miles was 1:46.56. The win was the second stakes victory on the card for Coa, who also won the Spend a Buck Handicap aboard Best of the Rest.

"I had considered sending him down for the first two legs [of the Stallion Series], but then decided to keep him up north and give him some added experience and a race around two turns, which he had and won," said Klesaris. "We had some things to overcome shipping down here, but fortunately he adapted well and he won this race the right way. I was impressed."

Booklet is not Breeders' Cup eligible and Klesaris said he would not be supplemented to the Juvenile.

Blissful Kiss upsets My Dear Girl

Blissful Kiss had been a major disappointment in the opening two legs of the filly division of the Florida Stallion Series after winning her maiden in the J j'sdream Stakes earlier this summer. But the John Franks homebred picked the right time to find her best game again, rallying from just off the pace to a three-length victory over Ms Brookski in the $400,000 My Dear Girl Stakes, final leg of the filly division of the Stallion Series.

"We took some tests after she didn't run well in her previous start [the Susan's Girl Stakes] and discovered a significant lung infection," said trainer Bill White, who won the 1999 In Reality with Franks's homebred Kiss a Native. "We were able to treat her with antibiotics and got it cleared up. We always knew she was a quality filly. She was originally earmarked for Canada or New York, but the Stallion Series and the $400,000 purse is what convinced Mr. Franks to keep her here. Today's race was a long-term project and that's what makes this win so satisfying for me."

Blissful Kiss paid $46 after covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.08, and gave jockey Cornelio Velasquez the first of his two stakes wins on the day. He also won the $200,000 Calder Oaks aboard Sara's Success.