Cicatrix stands out in Glitter Woman

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Partly by design, Ian Wilkes seldom wins with first-time starters – but when he does, look out.

Cicatrix is the most recent Wilkes horse to win at first asking, having done so in November at Churchill Downs. Since he branched out on his own in 2006 after a lengthy stint under Hall of Fame trainer Carl Nafzger, Wilkes has compiled a record of 16 for 473 (3.4 percent) with first-timers.

“McCraken won first time out,” said Wilkes, referring to his current stable star. “So did Warrior’s Reward and Capt. Candyman Can” – both eventual stakes winners. “They’re pretty good when they do that for me.”

Cicatrix will have a chance to join that elite group Saturday at Gulfstream Park when she faces eight other 3-year-old fillies in the $75,000 Glitter Woman. Both the Glitter Woman (race 5) and its open counterpart, the $75,000 Limehouse (race 3), are being run for the first time and are slotted early on an 11-race program that starts at noon Eastern. Both six-furlong races are restricted to horses who have not won a stakes.

Cicatrix was nominated to the Sandpiper last month at Tampa Bay Downs following her 7 1/4-length debut romp at Churchill, but Wilkes took a pass, saying he was more intent on an allowance race as a next start for the daughter of Violence.

“None of them filled, so we’ve gone in here,” he said. “It’s basically a one-other-than anyway, so we’re good. I think this is a very talented filly. After this, I’d love to start stretching her out and see how far she can go. I really think she might be something.”

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Cicatrix, owned by Bill Witman, will have Julien Leparoux aboard and breaks from post 4 in the Glitter Woman. Several other fillies with similarly good-looking lone-start triumphs are in against her, most notably Elevenses, Others Will Follow, and Act Now.

Elevenses, trained by Jimmy Jerkens, was dismissed at 11-1 before winning by 10 1/4 lengths over the Aqueduct slop on Nov. 22. The daughter of More Than Ready shows four subsequent works, her last three at the Palm Meadows training center. Jose Ortiz has the mount.

Rounding out the Glitter Woman field are Analyze Your Life, Lil B Quick, Luzmimi Princess, Foxtrot Sally, and Morning Destiny.

The Limehouse doesn’t have the flash – nor the numbers – as its filly counterpart, which accounts for it being run so early in the day. Six 3-year-old colts will be looking to break out, with Piven having been listed as a lukewarm morning-line choice despite never having raced on dirt.

Kevin Attard is the trainer of Piven, who will break from post 3 with Ortiz accepting the mount. In four starts, all over the Tapeta surface at Woodbine, the Florida-bred son of Prospective has never been worse than fourth.

Other logical contenders include Reed Kan, a 21-1 winner over a nice group of turf sprinters for Phil Combest in his most recent start; Aequor, a two-back Gulf West maiden winner who was third here Dec. 9 in the Buffalo Man; and Empire Power, a just-miss second in a first-level allowance sprint here on Dec. 21.

Dial One and Interdiction complete the Limehouse cast.

The Glitter Woman is named for the 1994 foal trained by Shug McGaughey and the Limehouse for the 2001 foal trained by Todd Pletcher.