Gulfstream Park Mile, Mac Diarmida, Davona Dale top challenging nine-stakes undercard Saturday
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Before the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes culminates an extremely busy day, Gulfstream Park will run nine other stakes, eight of them graded, on a blockbuster Saturday card that starts at 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
In reverse order, here’s a quick rundown:
Grade 2, $200,000 Mac Diarmida (race 13, 5:32): Zulu Alpha, fresh from a rousing victory five weeks ago in the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf, figures to be favored under Tyler Gaffalione when facing the likes of Sadler’s Joy, Spooky Channel, Channel Maker, and Admission Office. A Thread of Blue, a winner in 3 of 4 starts over the local course, makes a bold stretch-out to the 1 3/8 miles of this longstanding turf fixture as one of the other nine older horses taking on Zulu Alpha.
Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Mile (race 12, 5:01): Get tied on jock, when setting out to handicap this remarkably deep cast of 11 main-track milers. Mr Freeze (post 9, Manny Franco) could come a slight favorite when cutting back from his runner-up finish in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup, but there’ll be plenty of deserved support for another handful of his rivals, including Bodexpress, Haikal, Phat Man, Zenden, and Hog Creek Hustle.
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Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Turf (race 11, 4:30): A delightfully inscrutable and oversubscribed lineup of older turf milers makes for one of the most interesting races of the entire card. Hay Dakota, Caribou Club, Sombeyay, Mr Dumas, and English Bee are among a core of likely lukewarm choices.
Grade 2, $200,000 Davona Dale (race 10, 3:59): Spice Is Nice, one of a handful of top stakes threats on the day for Todd Pletcher, makes her second career start following a 12-length debut victory when vying for favoritism with undefeated Tonalist’s Shape in a field of nine 3-year-old fillies. The one-mile race offers 85 qualifying points (50-20-10-5) toward the May 1 Kentucky Oaks.
Grade 3, $150,000 Herecomesthebride (race 9, 3:28): Abscond, a Grade 1 winner last year at 2 and more recently a close third as the favorite eight weeks ago in the Ginger Brew, could be a tepid favorite in a competitive field of 12 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Cheermeister, winner of the Wait a While and Grade 3 Sweetest Chant already at the championship meet, is among the opposition.
Grade 3, $150,000 The Very One (race 7, 2:27): A remarkably well-matched field of 12 fillies and mares includes a trio from the Graham Motion stable – Touriga, Queen of Time, and Empressof the Nile – all of whom stand as good a chance as any in this 1 3/16-mile turf race.
Grade 3, $150,000 Honey Fox (race 5, 1:27): Atomic Blonde, a sharp last-out winner of the South Beach for Pletcher, will have to run another big one to repeat when facing Valedictorian, Munchkin Money, and eight other fillies and mares going a mile on turf.
Grade 3, $150,000 Palm Beach (race 4, 12:57): Vitalogy makes his eagerly awaited seasonal debut when starting from the far outside post in a field of 12 3-year-olds in this 1 1/16-mile turf race.
$100,000 Hutcheson (race 3, 12:28): Postponed from Feb. 22, when it failed to fill, this six-furlong race could have Shivaree, Ournationonparade, and Smash Factor as favorites among a field of seven 3-year-olds.
Extensive television coverage of the day will be available on both TVG and Fox Sports 2. The Grade 2, $400,000 Fountain of Youth goes as the 14th and last race at 6:04. Sunshine and a high of 70 are in the local forecast.