Brisset running two promising fillies Friday

New Day Dawning hopefully gave trainer Rodolphe Brisset a glimpse of the future with her solid second-place finish in a maiden turf race last October at Keeneland. Brisset hopes Slam Dunk did the same with a 5 1/2-length maiden victory in her 2-year-old finale last November at Churchill.

Friday, at Gulfstream Park, New Day Dawning returns to the turf while Slam Dunk makes her 3-year-old debut in a pair of first-level optional-claiming races that serve as the co-features on a 10-race card that begins shortly after 1 p.m.

New Day Dawning, who runs in race 8, is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and Ready to Act, a turf stakes-winning mare who proved to be temperamental and talented. Brisset said New Day Dawning has displayed the same characteristics. Though New Day Dawning won on dirt in December, Brisset believes New Day Dawning’s best career race was her second to the well-bet and well-meant The Path Not Taken in a maiden turf race. New Day Dawning was beaten 1 3/4 lengths but finished 4 1/2 lengths clear of the field.

“She won her maiden nicely, slow time, slow number but it was visually very impressive,” Brisset said. “Then we tried the [Grade 3 Forward Gal] and the whole day was a disaster. We want to go back to the grass and hopefully she can get back to what she showed us that day in Keeneland.”

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Friday’s 1 1/8-mile race appears to have some talent in the well-bred Eve of War and the recent maiden winner Skye Snow.

Eve of War is by two-time turf Group 1 winner Declaration of War out of the unraced dam Special Thanks, who is a half-sister to multiple graded turf stakes winner Bedanken. Eve of War, trained by Todd Pletcher, won her debut going six furlongs on dirt by 7 1/2 lengths before a troubled start cost her in a first-level allowance dirt race on Feb. 28.

Skye Snow, a daughter of Lemon Drop Kid, was second in a maiden turf race on Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds. She was one of three next-out winners from that race when she overcame post 12 to win her maiden with a wide rally in the lane on March 8 at Gulfstream.

In race 9, at 1 1/16 miles on dirt, Slam Dunk makes her first start since she rolled to a 5 1/2-length maiden score last Nov. 7 at Churchill. That was Slam Dunk’s fourth start – which includes a third in the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont – and Brisset said the filly was in need of a break.

Brisset admitted it has taken a little longer than planned to get Slam Dunk back to the races, but credits the staff at Stonestreet Farm in Ocala with getting a good foundation into her while he was able to work her four times at Palm Meadows.

“A mile and a sixteenth is not ideal, but we drew good and she can be tactical from the gate,” Brisset said.

The field includes Graceful Princess, the daughter of Grade 1 winners Tapit and Havre de Grace, who makes her first start for Todd Pletcher – and first since last September. She went 1 for 6 for Ralph Nicks.