Gulfstream Park: Brown sends tough pair in Dania Beach

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Chad Brown had an arsenal to choose from when looking at Saturday’s $100,000 Dania Beach, having nominated six horses to the final graded stakes for 2-year-olds to be run at Gulfstream Park in 2013. In the end, Brown selected Pleuven and Request to represent his barn in the Grade 3 event, which drew a field of nine that also includes the graded-stakes-placed pair of Yes I’m Lucky and Bon Accord along with the well-traveled Here’s Johnny.

Pleuven will likely draw the most attention of the uncoupled Brown duo. He is making his U.S. debut after having been purchased privately by Robert LaPenta and Gary and Bradley Finder following a pair of victories over the summer in his native France. Pleuven won a maiden race at Chantilly and a stakes at Longchamp.

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“He had some foot issues this fall, which forced us to miss some time, but we seem to have his feet in good order now,” Brown said. “He doesn’t have as many works as I’d like, but I thought the ones that he has had have been good, and this seems like the right spot to get him started.”

Brown paid Request a compliment when comparing him to his multiple graded stakes winner Casino Host. Request won his only start, rallying to a neck decision going a mile over the Belmont Park turf course Sept. 21. Among his victims that afternoon was Mr Speaker, who came back to win his maiden three weeks later and also will start in the Dania Beach.

“He looks a lot like Casino Host,” Brown said of Request. “They’re both by Dynaformer out of Seeking the Gold mares. They look like twins. We gave him a little freshening after his first start. He was entered in a stakes in New York, and they canceled the races that day, so his schedule was a little interrupted. He’s training well since coming down here and, like Pleuven, deserves a shot in this race.”

Yes I’m Lucky will try for the second time this meet to run on grass, having finished a troubled third in November in the Pulpit, which was washed off the turf and run on a sloppy main track. Yes I’m Lucky is already a two-time stakes winner on the grass but has yet to win beyond 5 1/2 furlongs.

“I don’t think he liked the off racetrack, but he hung in there for third,” said trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. in reference to Yes I’m Lucky’s effort in the Pulpit.

Bon Accord may go postward the slight favorite in the Dania Beach, coming off a fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Bon Accord scratched out of the Pulpit after the race was taken off the grass.

Here’s Johnny has finished worse than second just once in five starts, running fourth at Deauville earlier this year in the five-furlong Prix de la Vallee d’Auge Stakes. Here’s Johnny, a son of Colonel John, finished second as the 4-5 favorite behind Notyouraveragejoe in the Sunshine Millions Juvenile Turf Preview.

Harlan’s Holiday attracts eight

A classy field of eight handicap horses will contest Sunday’s $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday. The group is led by the multiple graded stakes winner Neck ’n Neck, the multiple-Grade 1-placed Bourbon Courage, and the up-and-coming River Seven. The local contingent is topped by Csaba, who comes right back off a victory two weeks ago in Calder’s Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper, as well as Sr. Quisqueyano and Revron.

Dudeman abides at 23-1

Dudeman surprised a good-looking group of 2-year-old maidens in Thursday’s first race and did it easily, cruising to an impressive 2 1/4-length victory over H Town Brown at odds of 23-1. Coach Inge, a son of Big Brown bet to 7-5 for his debut, stumbled and then was bumped shortly after the break, made a middle move while well wide on the turn, and flattened out to finish fourth for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Dudeman, a son of Rockport Harbor, is owned by Goodwood Racing IV and trained by Jane Cibelli, whose license was restored earlier this month after she served a 60-day suspension handed down by the Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering in September for her role in an incident regarding raceday treatment of one of her horses.