Galleon Mast, Noble Drama give Fawkes good shot on turf or dirt

Horseplayers aren’t the only ones doing their share of handicapping around here of late. So are local horsemen, who must handicap the weather before making entries in light of all the rain that has fallen at Gulfstream Park over the past several weeks.

One trainer who did just that for Saturday’s card is David Fawkes, who entered his stakes-winning duo of Galleon Mast and Noble Drama in the $100,000 Soldier’s Dancer, which is for Florida-breds at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Fawkes covered all his bases, with Galleon Mast among the likely favorites if the race runs as scheduled on grass and Noble Drama, entered for the main track, a key player if the Soldier’s Dancer is moved to the dirt.

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The Soldier’s Dancer shares top billing on the 10-race program with its filly counterpart, the $100,000 Ginger Punch. In the event the races move to the main track, both will be contested at one mile.

Galleon Mast has been among the leaders of his division for several years. He won the Sunshine Millions Turf Preview at Gulfstream Park West in 2018 and 2019, was third in the Sunshine Million Turf here in January, and most recently finished eighth in the Grade 2 Pan American on March 28. Overall, the 7-year-old has registered 10 victories from 35 starts.

“I’d prefer to run the old guy because he hasn’t run in some time, but with all the rain we’ve had during the week and more in the forecast, I really don’t see this race staying on the turf,” Fawkes said.

Noble Drama would be among the favorites on dirt coming off a solid second in the seven-furlong Big Drama. Noble Drama won the 1 1/8-mile Sunshine Millions Classic in his 2020 debut as well as a one-mile optional-claiming race to close out the 2019 campaign.

“He ran a hell of a race last time, and frankly I think he’s even better at one turn than around two, so I love the fact this race will go at a mile if it comes off the grass,” Fawkes said. “I worked these two horses together last week, and they were both fabulous. They couldn’t be doing better.”

Other key contenders in the Soldier’s Dancer on turf include Class and Cash, Muggsamatic, and Kroy. On dirt, Noble Drama would likely face his toughest tests from Last Judgment and Wild Medagliad’oro.

The Ginger Punch drew a full field of 13, plus main-track-only entrants Liza Star and Crumb Bun.

Kelsey’s Cross, who has kept a steady diet of graded stakes company over the past eight months, should be heavily favored if the Ginger Punch stays on grass. She runs against statebred competition for the first time since winning her maiden by 7 1/2 lengths here more than a year ago. Trained by Patrick Biancone, Kelsey’s Cross finished third in the Grade 2 Hillsborough earlier this winter at Tampa Bay Downs.

On the dirt, trainer Todd Pletcher’s graded stakes winner Bellera could hold the upper hand in the Ginger Punch after chasing home the speedy Lady’s Island and multiple graded stakes placed Wildwood’s Beauty in the seven-furlong Musical Romance on May 16. Starship Bonita, a troubled fourth in the Musical Romance, also would benefit if the Ginger Punch is run on the dirt.