Eyeing more Oaks points, Beckman opts for Suncoast with Her Laugh

Flush with stakes-caliber 3-year-old fillies, trainer Whit Beckman is in the enviable position of being able to pick his spots in an attempt to get one or more of them to the Kentucky Oaks.

In Saturday’s $150,000 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs, Beckman seems to have found a nice spot for Her Laugh to make her 3-year-old debut, pick up some more Oaks qualifying points, and potentially remain unbeaten.

Her Laugh, 2 for 2 and coming off a victory in the Untapable at Fair Grounds in December, is among eight entered in the Suncoast, going one mile and 40 yards. The race offers its top five finishers qualifying points (20-10-6-4-2) to the Kentucky Oaks on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Beckman said the Suncoast made more sense for Her Laugh than the Rachel Alexandra next week at Fair Grounds, where Beckman plans to run Simply Joking, winner of the Silverbulletday Stakes. Drexel Hill, third in the Silverbulletday, is under consideration for the Busher at Aqueduct on March 1, Beckman said.

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Her Laugh won her debut sprinting at Churchill Downs on Nov. 17 at odds of 29-1. Beckman said he was more surprised that Her Laugh won the Untapable on Dec. 21, at least in the front-running manner in which it was achieved. That victory earned her 10 Oaks points.

“I thought she’d come from behind. She got out there comfortably, ran a legit two-turn race which warranted another shot at the distance,” Beckman said. “The way she got on the lead in the Untapable, 23 and 49 [seconds], she was comfortable doing that but she could have sat a pocket trip.”

Beckman was fortunate enough to obtain the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. for Her Laugh, who drew post 4.

La Cara won the Grade 3 Pocahontas Stakes going a one-turn mile at Churchill last September before finishing fifth, 16 1/4 lengths behind Immersive, in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar.

“She never showed up,” trainer Mark Casse said. “She trained well into it. I was expecting a big effort; you could tell 10 jumps out of the gate it wasn’t her day. Ricardo [Santana Jr.] said she spun her wheels for the most part. Brought her home, gave her a break, she’s training well.”

Deloraine enters the Suncoast off a monster 8 1/4-length victory in a turf allowance at Tampa on Dec. 13. She is by Candy Ride out of a dam that produced a two-time winner over Tampa’s main track.

“She’s been working very well on the main track and she’s got a pedigree that suggests she should handle it,” said Eoin Harty, who trains Deloraine for Godolphin.

Dancing Magic, winner of the seven-furlong Gasparilla Stakes last out, is by Good Magic and should be able to stretch out. Junta and Cloe were both debut winners sprinting, the latter over Gulfstream’s synthetic surface. Queen in the Deck, a maiden winner going this distance, and Italian Soiree complete the field.

Pelican Stakes

Nutella Fella, upset winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful in 2023, looks well spotted to return to the winner’s circle in Saturday’s $125,000 Pelican Stakes at six furlongs.

Nutella Fella, trained by Gary Contessa, came off a seven-month layoff to run a respectable second in a second-level allowance race at Tampa on Jan. 11. He has followed that with two bullet workouts over the main track.

Pure Class won the Sophomore Stakes at Tampa last year and, most recently, finished second in the four-horse Marion County Stakes for progeny of Florida-based stallions. Dreaming of Kona returns from a six-month layoff for Aldana Spieth, who is enjoying a good meet with four wins from 20 runners. The last time Dreaming of Kona ran on dirt, he finished second, beaten a neck, in the Sir Shackleton Stakes at Gulfstream last March.

Spankster, Silver Slugger, Caramel Chip, and Life Is Precious complete the field.

Minaret Stakes

Nic’s Style was scratched from the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25 due to an illness. She apparently has recovered in time to make Saturday’s $100,000 Minaret Stakes for fillies and mares at six furlongs.

Nic’s Style, trained by Bill Mott, has won five of six starts including the City of Ocala Stakes for Florida-sired fillies at Tampa on Dec. 14. Jockey Junior Alvarado said after that race that Nic’s Style struggled with the Tampa surface but was classy enough to get the victory in that restricted race.

Saturday’s race is tougher with the likes of Dazzling Blue and Miuccia in the field.

Dazzling Blue, a multiple graded stakes-placed runner, came off a seven-month layoff to finish second at 3-5 in a Jan. 2 allowance at Gulfstream. Trainer Brad Cox is adding blinkers and Flavien Prat rides.

Miuccia, a winner of an allowance race at Tampa on Dec. 29, returns in this spot. She was beaten one length in the Grade 3 Prioress at Saratoga in August.

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