Kiss to Remember lands in softer spot
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Kiss to Remember stepped onto the national stage last summer at Saratoga with her second-place finish in the Grade 1 Ballerina and again several months later when competing in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Kiss to Remember will attempt to step back into the winner’s circle for the first time in nearly nine months as the overwhelming favorite to defeat five seemingly overmatched rivals in the best of two allowance races Friday at Gulfstream Park.
Kiss to Remember has started just twice since finishing a non-threatening ninth, six lengths behind Wavell Avenue, in the Filly and Mare Sprint. She was a tiring fourth when closing out her 2015 campaign in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Handicap at Aqueduct and did not return until four months later when a distant eighth in the Grade 2 Inside Information. She has not won a race since capturing the one-mile Monroe overnight handicap here by nearly seven lengths last July as the 2-5 favorite, her only victory during a 2015 season that also saw her finish third in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney and bank nearly $225,000 for owner Miller Racing.
Kiss to Remember is one of two horses whom trainer Marty Wolfson entered in Friday’s third race, a second-level optional $62,500 claimer for fillies and mares going a mile. Wolfson will also send out the turf specialist Westminister Road, who is also owned by Miller Racing and appears to be in the lineup to help fill the race. The remainder of the field includes Cayman Croc, who has not started since winning a second-level optional-claiming race last September at Parx, and the graded stakes-tested Oasis At Midnight.
Friday’s eighth race, a first-level optional $75,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies, figures to be a lot more competitive. The eight-horse lineup is topped by My Dear Venezuela, who finished second behind the odds-on Lucy N Ethel in the Grade 3 Old Hat on Jan. 2. My Dear Venezuela will attempt to bounce back after being pulled up in her last start when she had to jump a fallen rival during the stretch run of the Melody of Colors Stakes on turf.
Ralph Nicks will send out the uncoupled pair of Shakakan and Enterprising Lady. He’s also the former trainer of R Kinsley Doll, who was transferred to Terri Pompay following her second-place finish under high-priced starter-allowance conditions five weeks ago.
Both Shakakan and Enterprising Lady will be making their 3-year-old debuts. Shakakan has been idle since a 10th-place finish in the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl Stakes on Sept. 5, and Enterprising Lady has been on the sidelines since finishing a wide-running second behind the subsequently graded stakes-placed Flora Dora in the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl on Oct. 3. Both fillies have trained forwardly for their returns.
Dad’s Kiddo, fourth after pressing the pace in the Old Hat, was one of only four horses who completed the course in the eventful Melody of Colors, finishing third after also having to check to avoid the incident that saw several runners either fall or lose their riders at the top of the stretch.