Flatlined to try dirt again in Harlan's Holiday

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey has been wanting to get Flatlined back on dirt for quite a while. He’ll finally get that opportunity here Saturday when he sends the Grade 2-winning turf specialist postward over the main track in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes.

Flatlined, winner of the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale Stakes over the local turf course last January, has not raced on dirt since capturing a mid-level optional-claiming race at Ellis Park by six lengths in July 2016. It was the only win in seven main-track outings for Flatlined, who has won five times and banked more than $431,000 in 19 starts on the turf.

“We were thinking all year long about putting him back on the dirt, but the races for him kept coming up on the turf,” Dickey said. “I was going to run him in the Clark at Churchill Downs, but he got sick on me and I had to pass the race. But he’s doing fine now, and he worked well here the other day. In fact, he always seems to work well on the dirt, so we’ll see how he likes it in this race Saturday and then make further plans from there. If he doesn’t run well, we can always put him back on the grass later in the meet.”

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A small field is expected for the Harlan’s Holiday. Neolithic, who was pointing to the race, was retired last weekend. Travers runner-up Gunnevera was expected to use the Harlan’s Holiday as a final tune-up for the Pegasus World Cup. But about an hour after working six furlongs in 1:15 at Gulfstream Park West on Saturday, trainer Antonio Sano announced his intention to pass the race and train Gunnevera up to the Pegasus.

Neolithic was one of five horses trainer Todd Pletcher nominated to the 1 1/8-mile Harlan’s Holiday, but he said Saturday that he is “kind of running out of bullets” and that it was very likely he might not have a single horse in the field.

Aside from Neolithic, Pletcher also nominated Destin, Tommy Macho, and 3-year-olds Sonic Mule and You’re to Blame.

Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. has pointed Mr. Jordan to the Harlan’s Holiday since his one-sided 11 1/4-length victory in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview on Nov. 11 at Gulfstream Park West.

With a short field expected, Adam Staple, who owns Page McKenney in partnership with Jalin Stable, said Monday that their intention now is to run in the Harlan’s Holiday. Page McKenney, who has more than $1.7 million in career earnings, is stabled at Palm Meadows with trainer Mary Eppler. He has made just one previous start locally, that coming in December 2014 when he finished a late-striding second in the Claiming Crown Jewel.

“We were just tossing the idea around initially, but then we started getting feedback that Gunnevera wasn’t going to run and Todd might not have anything for the race,” Staple said. “So we started thinking more seriously about it and at the moment, it looks like Mary has the intention at least to enter and at this point, I’d say he’s likely to run.”

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Nonna Mela set for Rampart

Pletcher said he does plan to run All Included on Saturday in the Grade 3 Tropical Park Turf and Grade 2 winner Nonna Mela in Saturday’s Grade 3 Rampart where she’ll take on a compact lineup that also will include Curlin’s Approval and Alpine Sky.

“She’s training well, and I’m looking forward to stretching her out to a mile for the first time,” Pletche said.

Curlin’s Approval will likely be favored in the Rampart, despite coming off a disappointing effort following a poor start in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Curlin’s Approval, winner of the Grade 2 Princess Rooney here last winter, had her final blow out for the race Monday, going a very easy half-mile in 47.78 seconds with jockey Luis Saez aboard.

Montauk still at Bridlewood Farm

Pletcher also reported that arguably his top 3-year-old prospect for next winter, Montauk, is still at Bridlewood Farm and that he could not say with certainty when he might be sent down to join his stable at Palm Beach Downs.

“We gave him some time off, and he’s behind schedule a little bit at the moment,” Pletcher said.

Montauk, a son of Medaglia d’Oro, won his only start by 11 1/4 lengths Oct. 7 at Belmont Park, earning an 89 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

◗ Thursday’s main event is a $43,000 first-level allowance and optional claimer for statebred fillies and mares to be run at a mile on turf. A field of eight, plus one main-track-only entrant, was drawn, with trainer Chad Brown’s Warranty likely to go postward the solid favorite.

Warranty is coming off a three-quarter-length decision over a solid field of $50,000 starter-allowance rivals Sept. 23 at Belmont Park.