Eight considered probable for Donn Handicap

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lea and Commissioner are the biggest names in the prospective lineup for the Grade 1 Donn Handicap, a race Gulfstream Park racing officials hope attracts at least eight older horses.

The $500,000 Donn, to be run next Saturday for the 60th time, is the first Grade 1 handicap on dirt of the year in North America and leads off the Jockey Club Tour on FOX series of racing telecasts. The San Antonio at Santa Anita, which includes Horse of the Year California Chrome, is also part of the Fox telecast

Lea, trained by Bill Mott for Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider, likely will be favored in the 1 1/8-mile race. Sidelined for 11 months after winning the Donn last February with a 114 Beyer Speed Figure, he returned to action here Jan. 10 with a sharp triumph in the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope.

Commissioner, second by a head to Tonalist in the Belmont Stakes last June, also will be making his second start since a lengthy layoff. He was third, beaten just a neck, in a two-turn allowance on the Hal’s Hope undercard in his first outing since the Belmont.

Commissioner is one of three Donn probables trained by Todd Pletcher. The other two are Liam’s Map and Protonico. Pletcher trains seven of the 20 nominees.

Gulfstream stakes coordinator Mike Costanzo said others likely for the Donn are Catholic Cowboy, East Hall, Prayer for Relief, and Sloane Avenue. In addition, Bob Baffert said this week he would like to send Hoppertunity here from California but is having travel issues; the same goes for Blue Tone, trained by Bob Hess Jr.

The Donn undercard will include another Grade 1 handicap at 1 1/8 miles, albeit on grass – the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. Only 13 older horses were nominated, although Costanzo said the connections of Slumber and War Correspondent are considering making their horses eligible by paying a $5,000 supplementary fee.

Otherwise, the field is expected to include Amen Kitten, Grand Tito, Imagining, Lochte, Manchurian High, Mshawish, and possibly Ring Weekend and/or Summer Front.

Lochte is the defending race champion, having won last year at 39-1. He would be running back two weeks after winning the Tampa Bay Stakes in his latest start.

The Donn and Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap are two of six stakes here next Saturday on another “big event” program. The others: the Grade 3, $150,000 Suwanee River; the Grade 3, $100,000 Fred Hooper; the $75,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint; and the $75,000 Texas Glitter.

Entries for all Feb. 7 races will be drawn Wednesday. Handicap weights will be released Saturday.