Jellybean tries to join ranks of Arindel stakes winners in Our Dear Peggy

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Arindel Farm and trainer Carlos David campaign the top 2-year-old dirt filly stabled in South Florida, the undefeated Lynx. By late Saturday afternoon, the team also may be able to lay claim to having the best juvenile filly racing over the Tapeta surface if Jellybean can come out on top in the $65,000 Our Dear Peggy Stakes.

The mile and 70-yard Our Dear Peggy drew a field of 11 2-year-old fillies, although the New Jersey-based Born Dapper, who was the likely favorite, will scratch. Trainer Jonathan Thomas said there were problems making vanning arrangements to get her down to Florida for the race.

Lynx secured her spot atop the division with her one-sided victory in the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl division of the Florida Sire Stakes here two weeks ago. Jellybean is not quite as accomplished as her stablemate, but she did win her first start over the Tapeta surface, a maiden special weight dash in May, with a relatively strong 64 Beyer Speed Figure. She enters the Our Dear Peggy off a third-place finish in the Sharp Susan Stakes over the same surface.

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That performance was flattered after the winner, Showgirl Lynne B, and runner-up, Le Boiana, both came back to win their next start. Showgirl Lynne B won against restricted company in a $250,000 allowance race on turf at Kentucky Downs.

Jellybean did not race in the three months between the maiden win and the Sharp Susan. Paco Lopez rode her in the maiden win, and Edgard Zayas rode her in the Sharp Susan. Emisael Jaramillo will be aboard Saturday.

“We stopped on her after the maiden win because there was nowhere to run her, although Paco, who rode her that day, said he thought she wanted to go longer,” said Brian Cohen, stable manager for the Arindel Farm of his father, Alan. “She probably needed her last race coming off the layoff, and going two turns on Saturday with only that one start, we could be looking at a similar issue, although, again, the options here are limited.”

Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has entered three fillies in the Our Dear Peggy, recent main-track maiden winner Blind Spot along with the maidens Mo Town Madison and Rock This Towne.

Blind Spot led from start to finish to register a 2 1/2-length maiden victory going seven furlongs here Aug. 28. Rock This Towne finished a distant third making her career debut in that same race. Mo Town Madison was never a factor trying two turns on the Tapeta in her only outing and will try blinkers Saturday.

“Getting some black type for all these fillies is important if they can win a stakes like this,” Joseph said. “That’s one reason we entered the two maidens. There probably won’t be a race for them until October anyway, so we have nothing to lose trying them here. The same goes for Blind Spot. It will probably be tough to get a winner’s race to go, and we bought her out of the OBS sale and she worked very well there over the synthetic surface, although you never really know what to expect over this course until they try it.”

Both Vai Via and Stephanie’s Charm have the advantage of winning over the Tapeta and around two turns. Vai Via captured a maiden $35,000 claiming race by 6 3/4 lengths on Aug. 21, and Stephanie’s Charm won a maiden special weight by 4 1/4 lengths Aug. 7.