Call Me Crazy gets class relief in Cutler Bay Stakes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The class relief will be considerable for Call Me Crazy, who drops out of the Grade 3 Palm Beach Stakes and into overnight stakes company in Wednesday’s $60,000 Cutler Bay Stakes, carded at a mile over the Gulfstream Park turf course.
Call Me Crazy was beaten three-quarters of a length while finishing a troubled fourth in the Palm Beach. Those finishing in front of Call Me Crazy were Eh Cumpari and Felifran, both of whom were under consideration for last Saturday’s Grade 1 Florida Derby, and the lightly raced but very promising Divisidero.
Call Me Crazy, a game maiden winner in his previous start, was forwardly placed from the outset of the 1 1/16-mile Palm Beach. He then raced a bit greenly once attempting to challenge for the lead upon settling into the stretch, drifting out, then ducking back in at midstretch while jostled around between horses.
Force the Pass and Comfort exit well-graded maiden wins. Force the Pass overcame an eventful trip to register a popular and well-deserved one-length triumph going 7 1/2 furlongs to graduate here March 7. Comfort earned his diploma Feb. 12 at Fair Grounds for trainer Pavel Vashchenko, shortly after which he was purchased privately and transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher’s stable at Palm Beach Downs.
KEY CONTENDERS
Call Me Crazy (Last 3 Beyers: 75-74-66)
◗ He continues to improve with each start from a Beyer Speed Figure standpoint since switching back to turf during his 2-year-old campaign.
◗ He loses regular rider Luis Saez, who has returned north for the season, but picks up Rafael Hernandez, who rode the 36-1 Silver Menace to victory for trainer Kathy Ritvo here two weeks ago.
Comfort (Last 3 Beyers: 83-67-72)
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Pletcher has an above-average 24 percent success rate with horses switching to his barn for the first time. But a trainer change of that magnitude usually attracts plenty of action from the public, his return on investment with those 42 winners a meager $1.32.
◗ With Pletcher’s go-to riders John Velazquez and Javier Castellano gone for the remainder of the meet, Edgard Zayas has picked up the mount. According to DRF’s Formulator, Zayas has won with five of his 29 starts for Pletcher over the past five years, a 17 percent rate, with an ROI of only $0.98.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 7 Comfort. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 17-0-1-1 over the past five years going dirt to turf following a maiden victory Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
Force the Pass (Beyers: 80-79)
◗ Jockey Rajiv Maragh returned to south Florida from Dubai and hung around a few extra days specifically to ride this guy in the Cutler Bay. Maragh and trainer Alan Goldberg have made a profitable team from limited opportunities, combining for five wins from just 18 starts over the last five years, with a positive ROI of $2.65, according to Formulator.
Escondido (Last 3 Beyers: 78-75-60)
◗ He is the only member of the field with as many as three victories on his résumé, but he is taking a big step up in class, coming out of midlevel starter-allowance races into stakes company and while also moving from the barn of the meet’s leading trainer to the 9 percent Luis Ramirez via the claim box.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 High Noon Raider. Trainer George Weaver is 88-5-12-12 with a $0.62 ROI over the past five years going dirt to turf in routes. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts