Gulfstream Park notes: Rosalind kicks off 3-year-old campaign in Thursday optional claimer

Rosalind, a fast-charging third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, will make her 3-year-old debut Thursday when returning in a $48,750 optional-claiming race at 1 1/16 miles. The main event attracted a field of nine 3-year-olds, including Grade 2-placed Bird Maker, stakes winner Naughty Holiday, and the undefeated In Tune.

Rosalind turned in a series of good efforts against graded stakes competition after winning her career debut over the Ellis Park turf course in August. The best of those performances came in the Breeders’ Cup when she roared from far back at the top of the stretch to fall just a half-length short of victory. She was second in the Grade 1 Alcibiades and fourth to complete her juvenile campaign Dec. 7 in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet.

Rosalind, who has worked steadily for her return here for the past five weeks, will race in blinkers for the first time Thursday.

“She had a good, solid campaign last year, so we were just looking for a couple of good solid preps going into the Oaks,” said trainer Ken McPeek, referring to his main goal for Rosalind, the Kentucky Oaks. “She was eligible for this condition and it looked like a good spot to start her back and give her a nice confidence-builder. We’re putting blinkers on because we thought she needed a little more focus, nothing more than that.”

Bird Maker, second in the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs to conclude her 2-year-old season, disappointed in her 3-year-old bow here last month when catching a sloppy track and finishing a dozen lengths behind runaway winner Dame Dorothy under similar conditions as Thursday’s main event. The Empire Maker homebred is trained by Ian Wilkes for the Marylou Whitney Stables.

Naughty Holiday is the only multiple winner in the field, qualifying under the conditions of the race because her latest victory came in the restricted OBS Championship Stakes in Ocala.

In Tune turned in a game effort following a slow start in her debut, dueling throughout before hanging on for a three-quarter-length decision over next-out maiden winner Whomping Willow going 6 1/2 furlongs on Jan. 12. In Tune is a full or half-sister to a pair of stakes winners, Affirmatif and Chitoz, both of whom were at their best in turf sprints.

Charlie A, an impressive winner going two turns on the turf in her only start, Comme Chez Soi, Lady Paradime, Camille Claudel, and My Dear Regina complete the field.