Elevenses comes through as favorite in Any Limit Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Despite a somewhat eventful trip, Elevenses asserted her superiority against just four other 3-year-old fillies to register a very popular three-quarter-length victory over longshot Onebrethatatime in Saturday’s $75,000 Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Elevenses ducked out at the start, colliding with Di Maria, before settling off the early pace set by recent turf-stakes winner Roses in the South. Leading rider Luis Saez angled Elevenses, the 1-9 favorite, five to six paths wide commencing her bid into the stretch, and from there she was able to overcome both the prevailing speed bias and the early leaders to win going away.

Onebrethatatime, the longest price on the board at 18-1, joined for command near midstretch but proved no match for the winner while easily second-best over Twice Around. The tiring Roses in the South and Di Maria completed the order of finish. Eight Thirtyone was scratched to compete in next Saturday’s Grade 2 Gulfstream Oaks.

Elevenses, a daughter of More Than Ready, is trained by Jimmy Jerkens for owner Joseph Shields Jr. She completed six furlongs in 1:11.89 over a fast track and paid $2.20.

“It looks like the track has been favoring speed, and the two races she won, she was on the lead or got to the lead after a quarter-mile, so it was good to see she had the class to do what she did today,” said Jerkens. “I thought she was in good shape running up on the inside [down the backstretch], but then it looked like the dirt started hitting her flush in the face, and she started shaking her head.

“We’ve had problems with her in the past trying to get out in the mornings, and that’s why we put the blinker on her. She did it a little bit today when she started getting hit with the dirt, but Luis is the leading rider, and I kind of knew he was going to get it done.”

Jerkens said he believes Elevenses will run farther and is considering stretching her out to a one-turn mile once getting back to New York this spring.

“I’d also kind of like to try the turf with her as well,” said Jerkens. “More Than Ready’s, they’re usually good on the grass.”