Joseph has strong combo for Ginger Punch
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
Sugar Fix and Lovely Luvy have a good deal in common heading into the $65,000 Ginger Punch on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
Both horses are trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. Both are multiple winners over the turf course at Gulfstream. And both are moving back into the Florida-bred ranks.
But that’s where the similarities end.
“They’re two different horses in style,” Joseph told publicity at Gulfstream. “Sugar Fix is more forwardly placed with a good turn of foot. Lovely Luvy comes from behind. She’s kind of a one-paced filly.”
The Ginger Punch is a 7 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares bred in Florida. It drew a field of eight.
Sugar Fix has faced open company in her last two starts, both on the turf at Gulfstream. She was fourth in the Grade 3 Honey Fox in March, then ran fifth last out in the $100,000 Sand Springs on April 2. Sugar Fix earned respective Beyer Speed Figures of 85 and 83 in those races, and the numbers are the best last-race Beyers in the Ginger Punch.
Edwin Gonzalez has the mount from post 8.
Sugar Fix is a three-time winner on the Gulfstream turf and is 10 for 26 overall. Back in December, she won the Claiming Crown Tiara on turf at Gulfstream.
Lovely Luvy is returning to stakes competition after running fifth in an off-the-turf allowance April 16 at Gulfstream. Back in January, Lovely Luvy won the Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream – a race moved to the Tapeta surface. She won by 2 1/4 lengths over runner-up Sugar Fix.
Lovely Luvy is a two-time winner on the Gulfstream turf and is 4 for 32 overall. Junior Alvarado has the mount from post 6.
There was rain in the forecast earlier in the week, and there is a 100 percent chance of rain Saturday in Hallandale Beach, Fla., according to AccuWeather.
“Sugar Fix is probably better on the grass, but she ran okay the last time” she ran on the Tapeta, Joseph said. “Lovely Luvy is a bit better in that aspect.”
Sugar Fix last raced on the local Tapeta in the off-turf Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf.
Key Biscayne was fourth last out in the $75,000 Monroe on turf May 8 at Gulfstream and like the Joseph trainees is returning to the Florida-bred ranks. Earlier in the year, Key Biscayne was fifth to champion Letruska in the Grade 3 Royal Delta on the main track at Gulfstream. Key Biscayne is a winner on the grass at Gulfstream.
Una Luna also exits the Monroe, finishing fifth in the race run at about 1 1/16 miles on turf. The start was Una Luna’s first since January.
Tracey Ann’s Legacy could prove the one to catch on the stretch-out from a series of turf-sprint starts. She will break from the rail under Samy Camacho Jr.
Tracy Ann’s Legacy is a four-time winner on the Gulfstream turf and gets pedigree support for the added ground as a daughter of Shackleford. She is another who is moving from open company into a race restricted to Florida-breds.