Gulfstream Park notes: Please Explain will target Davona Dale next

Please Explain, a six-length winner of the Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs last weekend under Julien Leparoux, will make her next start in the Grade 2 Davona Dale on Feb. 22 at Gulfstream.

In the Suncoast aftermath, trainer Tom Proctor said he likely would send Please Explain, a 3-year-old filly by Curlin, elsewhere for an upcoming stakes.

“She’s won over the track at Gulf and Julien’s right there,” he said. “We’ll see what she’s got against some of those nice fillies.”

Noble Cornerstone will try again

Noble Cornerstone, never close as the 9-5 favorite in the Sam F. Davis Stakes last weekend at Tampa after acting up badly in the gate, probably will wheel back in the Feb. 22 Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream, said trainer Wesley Ward.

“I wouldn’t necessarily run back in three weeks, but he came back just fine, like he hadn’t even run,” said Ward. “He deserves another shot. Gulfstream is his track and he’s trained unbelievable on it. We’re working with him to try to make sure nothing like that happens again.”

Noble Cornerstone, a New York-bred gelding, earned 89 and 91 Beyers in his first two starts before the Tampa debacle.

Golden Lad sets track record

Lezcano was aboard Golden Lad when the 4-year-old colt lowered the track mark for 1 1/16 miles in winning a third-level optional claimer here Wednesday in 1:41.17.

Trained by Todd Pletcher for E. Paul Robsham Stables, Golden Lad won for the third straight time and earned a career-high 95 Beyer Speed Figure. The former record of 1:41.73 at the distance (which has only been used at Gulfstream since 2012) was set in December by Donn starter River Seven in the Harlan’s Holiday.

Tagg gets first win of meet

Munnings Sister gave trainer Barclay Tagg his first win of the Gulfstream meet with a hard-fought victory in the Thursday feature, a scratch-laden running of the $75,000 Awesome Feather.

Ridden by Luis Saez, Munnings Sister returned $6.60 as second choice after out-dueling R Free Roll, then holding off favored My Pal Chrisy by three-quarters of a length. A 5-year-old bred and owned by Charles Fipke, she was the 13th starter of the meet for Tagg.

Only six fillies and mares started from an original 10, with three of the declared horses running back Sunday in the Hurricane Bertie.

Ramsey’s reflections

Ken Ramsey was in his usual jovial mood late Thursday afternoon, even before his homebred gelding Aunt Ruby’s Kitten captured the nightcap at a $7.60 mutuel for Pletcher and Javier Castellano.

“I was wondering if anybody has ever had the Triple Crown like we had last year,” said Ramsey. “Leading owner, leading breeder, and leading sire [Kitten’s Joy]. Whatever the case, we’re still enjoying it.”