Current back on turf for Dania Beach Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Because surely you need more sporting entertainment on Super Bowl Sunday, Gulfstream Park will run two $100,000 turf stakes for 3-year-olds as part of a 12-race card.

It wasn’t intentional – the Dania Beach and Grade 3 Sweetest Chant were delayed by one day when track management became concerned earlier in the week with the weather outlook for Saturday, the races’ original date. Still, these one-mile turf twins ought to make for an improved pre-gaming experience.

Both stakes are part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 7-12), which had a carryover approaching $1 million when action began Friday. No forceout date of the Rainbow 6 jackpot has been announced.

First post Sunday is noon Eastern, with the last race set for 5:43 p.m., just ahead of Super Bowl LIII kickoff (6:30). Mostly sunny skies and a high of 78 are forecast.

After Sunday, Gulfstream goes dark for two days before another five-day week begins Wednesday.

Dania Beach (race 9, 4:07)

After a failed attempt at dirt, Current is back on the grass, where he enjoyed quite a bit of success last year at 2, most notably a victory in the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland in October.

“His maiden win and his win in the Bourbon were pretty impressive on the grass,” trainer Todd Pletcher said. “Unfortunately, he turned his head at the start of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and lost any chance at that stage, but he’s been training well and we’re looking forward to getting his season started here.”

Current raced three times on turf before being a non-factor in two November races at Churchill Downs – the BC Juvenile Turf and the Kentucky Jockey Club, which was run over slop. The Curlin colt has had six timed workouts since late December at his Palm Beach Downs winter base.

Current, with Javier Castellano to ride, is one of 12 colts and geldings entered in the 10th running of the Dania Beach, although only as many as 11 will start. Going for Gold is designated as main track only.

Perhaps the chief threat to Current is A Thread of Blue, a last-out allowance winner over the local turf course. Luis Saez, who is on a record pace for wins at a Gulfstream championship meet, has the call from trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Another logical contender is Casa Creed, winner of the Kitten’s Joy, a Jan. 5 race contested by three other starters in here.

Among the conspicuous absentees from the lineup is Somelikeithotbrown, who is being diverted to the Battaglia Memorial next Friday night at Turfway Park in his first start since finishing third in the BC Juvenile Turf.

Sweetest Chant (race 11, 5:13)

Three-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown will be looking to start a new streak in a race he has thoroughly dominated in recent years when he sends out the uncoupled duo of La Feve and Regal Glory in a field of nine fillies in the 22nd Sweetest Chant.

La Feve will be making her North American debut and getting first Lasix following six overseas starts when she breaks from post 1 under Irad Ortiz Jr. The French-bred filly shows 12 works at Palm Meadows since mid-November.

Regal Glory, with Jose Ortiz riding from post 6, will be stretching out after starting her career with back-to-back wins in six-furlong turf races in New York, ending with the ungraded Stewart Manor on Nov. 11 at Aqueduct.

Brown compiled a remarkable six-year win streak (2012-17) in the Sweetest Chant before getting second- and seventh-place finishes from his two starters last year.

Among a handful of worthy challengers to the Brown pair are A Bit Special, a last-out winner of the Dec. 8 Wait a While for Patrick Biancone; Ardara Belle, another French-bred making her stateside debut with first Lasix; Hard Legacy, also unbeaten in two career starts; and Mission From Elle, a sharp debut winner over the local course.