Daffodil Sweet looks tough in 2021 debut

Trainer Chris Stenslie has an excellent chance of getting off on the right foot at Emerald Downs this year. She will saddle the favorites in the feature races on the first two days of the 50-day meet.

On opening day, Wednesday, she has two strong chances with Hard to Deny and Spitting Image in an allowance sprint for 3-year-olds and up. In Thursday’s feature, the Stenslie-trained Daffodil Sweet will be a short price to win a second-level allowance race for fillies and mares that has a $50,000 claiming option.

Daffodil Sweet will break from the outside post in the six-furlong dash, which drew six horses. It goes as race 8 at 9:01 p.m. Pacific.

A 4-year-old daughter of Ministers Wild Cat, Daffodil Sweet has yet to lose sprinting and in her three victories the combined winning margin is 22 1/2 lengths.

In her last start on Sept. 3, she set a fast pace before giving in late to Princess of Cairo in her only route attempt in the $40,000 Washington Oaks.

:: Join DRF Bets and play the races with a $250 First Deposit Bonus. Click to learn more.

Prior to Daffodil Sweet’s runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks, she romped by six lengths in the $40,000 Coca-Cola. With Juan Gutierrez aboard, she was a bit fractious in the gate, and then broke last leaving from the inside post in the 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies. Without a lot of urging, she made the lead at the first call, was in complete control at the half-mile mark, and drew off to win decisively.

Gutierrez retains the mount.

Trainer Peter Milburn thinks Boundforjamaica has a big shot of pulling off an upset. Boundforjamaica will be making her first start since she won a $20,000 conditioned claimer on Nov. 6 at Golden Gate. She races for Milburn’s brother Dave Milburn, who along with Don Muldoon claimed her out of the race.

The 5-year-old daughter of Drosselmeyer has been training for the Milburns at Hastings. Charles Essex is the trainer of record for her first start on dirt at Emerald.

“She has been training exceptionally well,” Peter Milburn said. “She has never raced on dirt, but she loves the surface at Hastings. I expect her to run a big race.”

Boundforjamaica can stalk and could get the right kind of trip with Frank Ceballos riding. She will break from post 5.

Squan’s Kingdom is the only horse in field with a race this year. She has compiled a record of 3 seconds and 2 thirds from five starts this year, all at Parx Racing for trainer Ernesto Padilla-Preciado. She now resides in the barn of trainer Candy Cryderman.

The 7-year-old daughter of Trappe Shot did cross the finish line first in a $16,000 starter with a $20,000 claiming option on March 29, but was disqualified back to third for causing interference in the stretch. She also was the runner-up to Mia Bella Rossa three times. Mia Bella Rossa, a 17-time winner with $408,225 in earnings, won a starter stakes on March 27 at Aqueduct.

Dontkissntell, trained by Tom Wenzel, can fire fresh and could be dangerous making her first start since she won a first-level allowance race with a $40,000 claiming option on Oct. 21 at Emerald.