Ginger Punch looks like anyone's race

Midnight Soiree looks as good as any in the wide-open $100,000 Ginger Punch Stakes at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The Lisa Lewis-trained 4-year-old is the only stakes winner among the nine horses entered for turf in the 1 1/16-mile race for Florida-bred fillies and mares. Pure Lemon will start if the race is moved to the main track.

The Ginger Punch goes as the fifth of 12 races carded. The marathon card begins at 12:45 p.m. Eastern with the Ginger Punch scheduled for 2:49.

Midnight Soiree will be making her third start this year and is coming off a fourth-place finish in the $75,000 Powder Break at Gulfstream on April 27. With Luca Panici aboard, she broke from the rail in the one-mile race on turf, was in traffic early in the 11-horse field, and after moving into contention on the stretch turn she flattened out in the lane. She was also intimidated at the eighth pole, but it is hard to say if she would have been able to get past Supercommittee, who finished third. Nobody was getting past Quebec, who led from start to finish.

Quebec, the runner-up Fools Gold, and the fifth-place finisher Hogans Holiday all ran in the $78,000 Miss Liberty at Monmouth Park on May 26. Hogans Holiday won the 1 1/16-mile race by a neck over Jehozacat.

Midnight Soiree came from a stalking position when she won the $117,500 Martha Washington at Gulfstream last July 7. The stewards ruled she caused interference to Camilla Princess in the stretch and disqualified her back to second. However, on appeal the ruling was reversed.

She could get a similar trip on Saturday if she breaks alertly from the rail with Panici riding.

KEY CONTENDERS

Midnight Soiree, by Include
Last 3 Beyers: 82-87-77

◗ The class of the party, she didn’t have the best trip in the Powder Break and has been training forwardly for Lewis, who has a 20 percent strike rate the past five years with horses coming back from 31-60 days.

Supercommittee, by The Factor
Last 3 Beyers: 84-79-77

◗ With rising Beyer Speed Figures, she is trending in a positive direction for trainer Robert Falcone Jr.

◗ She likes this course, and she finished in front of Midnight Soiree fair and square in the Powder Break.

Passion Plus, by Passion for Gold
Last 3 Beyers: 77-75-74

◗ She is on the improve for trainer Antonio Sano and could be sitting on a big effort in the third start of her form cycle.

◗ She is stakes-placed and doesn’t look out of line after winning a Florida-bred first-level allowance race with a $16,000 claiming option on May 30.

◗ Leading rider Edgard Zayas retains the mount and will likely have her in a stalking position after she breaks from post 3.