Flameaway takes another shot at turf in Kitten's Joy Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The jury is still out on how effective Flameaway will be on grass. Much as he tried, trainer Mark Casse got only one turf race into the colt during a busy 2-year-old season.

But Flameaway will get to show what he can do Saturday at Gulfstream Park when he breaks from post 1 in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes, the first of twin turf stakes for 3-year-olds on a terrific 11-race card that starts at noon Eastern. The $100,000 Kitten’s Joy, like its filly counterpart, the $100,000 Ginger Brew, will be run around two turns at 7 1/2 furlongs on the Gulf turf.

Flameaway raced five times at 2, all at different tracks, with two of those races – the Skidmore at Saratoga and the Grade 3 Bourbon at Keeneland – resulting in victory for the Scat Daddy colt after they were transferred from turf to dirt because of weather conditions.

Still, when it was time for the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, Casse opted for the Juvenile Turf over the Juvenile. Flameaway attended the pace before fading to eighth in his turf debut, beaten just 3 1/4 lengths by the victorious Mendelssohn.

“It’s been crazy,” Casse said. “We’ve tried to get him in on the grass and never could do it, and we finally got him in for the Breeders’ Cup and I thought he ran very respectable. I thought it was a good race for him. He’s a nice horse, so I would think he would run well.”

Although he is the only graded winner in a field of eight in the Kitten’s Joy (race 7, 3:05), Flameaway seems to face a legitimate test versus some up-and-comers. Power of Attorney and Fast Boat each is coming off a sharp maiden score going two turns on turf, while Speed Franco and Pony Up return as the one-two finishers in the Pulpit Stakes here four weeks ago.

“We’ve always felt like this colt should excel on grass, being by Scat Daddy and all,” Casse said. “So here we go.”

The others in the Kitten’s Joy, named for the 2004 turf champion who has become a world-class sire, are Mojovation, Nauti Boy, and Renaisance Frolic.

The Ginger Brew (race 9, 4:05) has no obvious choice on the level of Flameaway, but its 10-horse field should make for one of the best wagering events of the day. Malibu Saint was a 16-1 winner of the Wait a While here four Saturdays ago, and the runner-up in an October allowance at Keeneland behind Thewayiam.

Trained by Graham Motion, Thewayiam figures as one of the favorites in the Ginger Brew with Jose Ortiz riding for the first time. A French-bred who began her career with three starts in her native land, she was overmatched in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante at Del Mar in late November after winning the Keeneland race in her U.S. debut.

Other possibilities include Golden Orb, a close third (disqualified to fourth) after bidding boldly into the fray in the Wait a While; Tropical Wave, a last-out maiden winner over the Churchill Downs turf; Closer Still, a Casse filly making her grass debut after four starts on synthetics; and Andina Del Sur, making her second start after winning a Belmont turf sprint at 23-1 in late October.

Rounding out the Ginger Brew are Queen Rose, Designing, Delamar, and Crazy for Sofia.

The Ginger Brew is named for the standout Adena Springs mare who earned $970,311 in a 15-race career that ended in 2009.