Jordan's Henny's backers hoping for a party, not a wake, after Inside Information

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Figuratively speaking, of course, Mike Tomlinson hopes there is no funeral Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

“We hope it’s a double marriage,” Tomlinson said with a grin.

The trainer is referring to the old racetrack adage that refers to horses making their next start after winning as a longshot. His latest stable star Jordan’s Henny returns seven weeks after upsetting the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie at a whopping $120 win mutuel. The gray 4-year-old filly figures a much shorter price Saturday in the Gulfstream feature, the Grade 2 Inside Information – and, as they say, if you missed the wedding, you don’t want to attend the funeral.

Not gonna happen, Tomlinson sure hopes.

“She came out of that last race in excellent shape,” he said. “She’s eating the bottom out of the feed tub, training good, the attitude’s great.”

Jordan’s Henny, with Robby Albarado to ride from post 4, is one of seven fillies in the 40th running of the $200,000 Inside Information, the 11th of 13 races. Other top contenders in the seven-furlong race include Ivy Bell (post 1, Javier Castellano) and Just Be Kind (post 2, Emisael Jaramillo).

:: Get bonus PPs for Saturday's Jeff Ruby Steaks card at Turfway Park

Ivy Bell is now trained by Todd Pletcher after being purchased privately over the winter by Mathis Stable and Madaket Stables. The 5-year-old mare racked up 4 wins and 6 seconds from 15 starts for her previous trainer, Billy Denzik, and has a touch of class that could make her formidable here.

Just Be Kind, owned and trained by Reade Baker, was a rallying winner four weeks ago of the Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs. The three horses who gave closest chase to her in the Minaret returned to sweep the top three spots in an overnight stakes last Saturday on the Tampa Bay Derby undercard.

The rest of the Inside Information lineup consists of Moonlit Promise, Blue Collar, Rich Mommy, and Mines and Magic.

The Inside Information, named for the champion Phipps Stable filly foaled in 1991, was known as the Shirley Jones until being renamed in 2009. Pletcher owns the most wins (four) in race history, although his most recent was by Hilda’s Passion in 2011.

The Inside Information is part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 sequence, which spans races 8-13. Into Thursday, the rollover jackpot exceeded $3.2 million. The Rainbow 6 has not been emptied since nearly $20 million was paid out in a mandatory dispersal Jan. 28.

The next big stakes date at Gulfstream is March 31, Florida Derby Day.

:: Just reduced! Save on The Road to the Kentucky Derby Player's Package

KEY CONTENDERS

Jordan’s Henny, by Henny Hughes

(Last 3 Beyers: 88-74-75)

◗ The Jan. 27 Hurricane Bertie set up beautifully for her, as jockey Tyler Gaffalione deftly guided her from well back to a stunner over Curlin’s Approval and Rich Mommy.

“The one thing that concerns me is I don’t know if we’re going to get as good a setup this go-round,” said Tomlinson. “We had a real nice pace in front of us last time. But she’s got tactical speed, and hopefully Robby can place her in a good spot.”

◗ Gaffalione is missing the return mount because he is named on eight mounts, all for Mike Maker, on the Jeff Ruby Steaks program at Turfway Park.

Ivy Bell, by Archarcharch

(Last 3 Beyers: 82-88-N/A)

◗ Six workouts since early February at Palm Beach Downs are textbook Pletcher, whose 56 winners through Wednesday have him in full command for a record 15th straight training title at the Gulfstream championship meet.

Just Be Kind, by Sky Mesa

(Last 3 Beyers: 79-81-80)

◗ Her big rally in the Minaret clearly demonstrated she can handle a dirt surface after she began her career with nine straight starts over the Woodbine synthetic.