Gulfstream Park: My Pal Chrisy is Wolfson's ace in Ocala

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Marty Wolfson has three of the seven statebred fillies and mares entered in Sunday’s one-mile Ocala Stakes. But chances are he’ll need only one, My Pal Chrisy, to take home the lion’s share of the $100,000 purse in the final stakes at Gulfstream Park in 2013.

My Pal Chrisy returns to south Florida off a third-place finish in Aqueduct’s one-mile Go for Wand Handicap on Nov. 29. My Pal Chrisy broke a little slowly from the rail in the Grade 2 stakes, raced in mid-pack within easy striking distance of the leaders, but could not kick on through the stretch, finishing 2 3/4 lengths behind winner Royal Lahaina.

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

The setback was the first in four starts since My Pal Chrisy had been purchased privately by Miller Racing LLC and transferred to Wolfson’s barn this summer. Each of her three wins for Wolfson came in a stakes, including the 1 1/16-mile Sunshine Millions Distaff Preview.

“She’s doing well,” Wolfson said of My Pal Chrisy. “The pace was just too slow for her in New York. She might even be on the lead in this race. The distance is perfect for her. She wants one turn. Even though she won around two turns here in the Sunshine Millions Preview, I really don’t think it’s what she wants to do.”

Wolfson also entered Devil’s Cave and Rock On Baby for the Ocala, but said that probably only Devil’s Cave will start. Devil’s Cave has registered a win and a second against modest allowance competition since joining Wolfson’s stable late this summer.

“Devil’s Cave is really coming around, although I wish I had one more race into her,” he said. “She’s never been a mile, but the distance doesn’t worry me. I really think it will be fine for her.”

Rock On Baby is a grass specialist who is coming off a late-running second-place finish going 1 1/16 miles in the Tiara Stakes. Wolfson said he’ll probably wait to run her in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Distaff Turf on Jan. 18.

The Todd Pletcher-trained Sweet N Discreet should provide Wolfson with his stiffest competition in the Ocala. A daughter of Discreet Cat, she has won a pair of six-furlong optional-claiming races here this fall. Like Devil’s Cave, she will be stretching out to a mile for the first time on Sunday.