Fort Lauderdale, Hal's Hope attract big fields
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Both the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale and Grade 3 Hal’s Hope attracted full and highly competitive fields for Saturday aty Gulfstream Park.
The Fort Lauderdale, to be decided at 1 1/16 miles on turf, features the 2017 debut of Grade 1 winner Divisidero, who starts for the first time since his fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 Manhattan seven months ago. Divisidero won the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard last spring at Churchill Downs.
He will face Lukes Alley, who registered a mild upset in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap here last winter, and the speedy multiple graded-stakes winner Heart to Heart, who is undefeated over the local turf course in three tries.
The remainder of the lineup consists of Almanaar, Copingaway, Eirish, Flatlined, Jay Gatsby, Macagone, Night Prowler, Rose Brier, and Fire Away.
Grade 3 winners Ami’s Flatter and Tommy Macho are among the leading candidates in the one-mile Hal’s Hope. Contenders also include Mr. Jordan and Realm, who finished third in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in his 2016 finale. Bird Song, Dolphus, Hy Riverside, Team Colors, and Unbridled Outlaw complete the field.
Practical Joke will work soon
Trainer Chad Brown said he is in no rush with his top 3-year-old prospect Practical Joke, a multiple Grade 1 winner at 2 and the third place finisher behind Classic Empire in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
“He’s galloping at Palm Meadows,” said Brown. “He hasn’t breezed yet, but he’s about a week away from his first work.”
Brown said he’s considering either the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth here on March 4 or the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct the same day for Practical Joke’s 3-year-old debut.