Jean Elizabeth carries seven-win streak into Captiva Island

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – During her seven-race winning streak, Jean Elizabeth has proven she can win on turf, dirt, and synthetic surfaces. What she’ll need to prove Saturday is whether she also can win while running back on just two weeks’ rest among a full field of 12 fillies and mares in the $75,000 Captiva Island Stakes.

The five-furlong Captiva Island shares top billing on Saturday’s 12-race program at Gulfstream Park with its open counterpart, the $75,000 Silks Run, which lured eight colts and geldings led by trainer Jason Servis’s uncoupled duo of Shekky Shebaz and Fig Jelly. Both events are at five furlongs on the turf.

Jean Elizabeth, a 5-year-old daughter of Adios Charlie, began her streak last September at Woodbine and made it seven in a row with a half-length decision in the Lightning City on Feb. 22 at Tampa Bay Downs. Her skein includes narrow victories here four weeks apart in the Abundantia, a race moved from turf to dirt, and the Ladies' Turf Sprint. Jean Elizabeth, who has captured 14 of 20 starts overall, is trained by Larry Rivelli

“It’s a quick turnaround, but as long as she continues to be bouncing back like she has been, the plan is to run,” said Rivelli, who bred Jean Elizabeth in partnership with owner Richard Ravin. “We don’t have to necessarily run in this race. We’ll let her tell us, but right now she’s doing fantastic. She’s a gutsy filly. She doesn’t want anybody to go by her. She’s a special horse.”

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As is always the case in these types of races, the pace figures to be quick and contested, and along with Jean Elizabeth should include Violent Times and Girls Know Best, who chased Jean Elizabeth to the wire when finishing third in the Abundantia and second in the Ladies' Turf. If things get too heated up front, late-runners like Bohemian Bourbon, Charmaine’s Mia, or the Servis-trained Keota would likely benefit.

The Silks Run will have a familiar look to it, bringing back the second- through fifth-place finishers from the World of Trouble Stakes, run under similar conditions Jan. 25. All of them chased Texas Wedge across the wire that day.

Carotari prompted the pace, held a short lead near midstretch, and finished a neck behind Texas Wedge while earning a career-best 95 Beyer Speed Figure. Fielder was another three-quarters of a length farther back in third making his first start since being purchased privately and turned over to trainer Peter Walder. He ran the race of his life from a Beyer Speed Figure standpoint, earning a 92, despite a somewhat eventful trip.

Shekky Shebaz was a major disappointment in the World of Trouble, finishing fourth as the 1-2 favorite after breaking a bit slowly from the rail and taking up inside horses on the far turn. He figures to be part of the early mix with a cleaner beginning breaking from post 4 on Saturday along with Carotari, Sturgeon, and perhaps Oldies But Goodies.

Fig Jelly and Archidust are interesting new shooters in the Silks Run lineup.

Fig Jelly returns to stakes company off a third-place finish as the even-money choice in a high-level optional claimer here Jan. 5. Fig Jelly has finished second in three of his last four stakes tries, all on grass, and has yet to finish worse than third in four starts over the local course.

Archidust gets back on grass for the first time since finishing a late-running fourth as the even-money favorite against Grade 3 opposition last summer at Kentucky Downs. That effort came on the heels of back-to-back victories in overnight turf sprint stakes at Saratoga and Monmouth.