Casa Creed wins Kitten's Joy; Boxwood takes Ginger Brew

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – John Velazquez suspected the favorite would be closing in hot pursuit, and he was right. Fortunately for the Hall of Fame jockey and his mount, Casa Creed, the wire arrived in time for an upset of the favored Henley’s Joy in the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy, the second of two turf stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Casa Creed, making his first start on turf and first around two turns, returned $27.40 when finishing a neck in front of Henley’s Joy, the odds-on choice who in turn had another neck on longshot Royal Urn in a 7 1/2-furlong race that went in 1:30.64 over a firm course.

“I got my horse to settle down the backside,” said Velazquez. “He leveled off real well, and I thought the favorite would be coming; I was glad to get there in time. It looks like the colt will get better with more ground.”

Bill Mott is the trainer of Casa Creed, a son of Jimmy Creed whose lone in-the-money finish in four prior starts came over the main track at Saratoga.

Casa Creed and Henley’s Joy both are logical prospects for the next Gulfstream race in this division, the Feb. 2 Dania Beach.

Boxwood holds on in Ginger Brew

On the lead for all but the first 100 yards or so, Boxwood ($7) held off a number of challengers to win the $100,000 Ginger Brew, saving her best for last when finishing a neck ahead of the favored Pivottina for her third victory in five career starts.

Ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Boxwood put away Noncents, then Fortunate Girl, before being asked for her all in denying Pivottina, the 8-5 favorite in a field of eight 3-year-old fillies. The winning time was 1:30.53 over the firm going.

“She’s a quality filly,” said Eddie Kenneally, who trains Boxwood, a William Pape homebred by English Channel. “She ran a big race. She was game today.”

Boxwood won a September maiden race at Kentucky Downs in her second start and most recently had won an off-the-turf allowance on the final weekend of the Churchill Downs fall meet. She and Pivottina figure to be among the favorites in the next race in the Gulfstream series in this division, the Feb. 2 Sweetest Chant.

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