Elusive Million drops from graded stakes to allowance
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Elusive Million and Conquest Babayaga will be leveraging their stakes experience when they try to get through a second allowance condition as Gulfstream Park takes the somewhat unusual step of opening a 12-race Sunday program with its richest race of the day.
Elusive Million, trained by Patrick Biancone, exits the Grade 3 Marshua’s River and figures to vie for favoritism with Conquest Babayaga, a filly now being trained by Chad Brown after being bought out of the Conquest Stables dispersal last fall. Seven fillies are entered in the $49,000 race at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, although one, Hi Holiday, is a main-track-only designate.
First post Sunday is noon Eastern, with the last race set for 5:35. Other races of note include a $40,000 Florida-bred allowance (race 5), a $37,000 starter allowance (race 11), and four $46,000 maiden special weight events (races 6, 7, 9, 10). The 20-cent Rainbow 6 sequence runs from races 7 through 12.
Sunday normally would end the race week at Gulfstream, but a special 12-race card is on tap for Monday (noon post) because of the Presidents Day holiday. Every race is a starter allowance worth $50,000 or $60,000.
Gulfstream then will go dark for just one day, with action resuming Wednesday. The following Wednesday (March 1) will be dark because the track and the Fasig-Tipton Co. will be hosting their annual one-day auction of 2-year-olds in training.
KEY CONTENDERS (race 1)
Elusive Million, by Pour Moi
Last 3 Beyers: 89-80-3
◗ Imported last year from France by owner Martin Schwartz, this Irish-bred filly has run respectably at Gulfstream in her two starts since being transferred into the care of Biancone.
Conquest Babayaga, by Uncle Mo
Last 3 Beyers: 79-59-80
◗ Two stakes attempts are part of a four-race record for the Kentucky-bred filly, who will be making her first start in more than five months following a steady schedule of Palm Meadows works.
Sparkle Factor, by Arch
Last 3 Beyers: 77-77-57
◗ Rail-drawn mare figures as one of the longer shots in this short lineup when she ships down from Ocala, Fla., for trainer Leroy Jolley, who has named a fellow Hall of Fame member, Edgar Prado, to ride.