Kiss to Remember will have to fend off Flutterby in Added Elegance
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Gulfstream Park’s $75,000 Added Elegance Stakes could prove to be a stepping-stone to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint for Kiss to Remember. But first, she’ll have to get past the red-hot Flutterby, who is the one to catch in the seven-furlong dash that shares top billing on Sunday’s card with the $75,000 Mr. Steele Stakes at a mile on turf.
Kiss to Remember is coming off a stellar second-place effort behind Unbridled Forever for trainer Marty Wolfson in the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga. She had won her previous start in convincing fashion here five weeks earlier, cruising to a 6 3/4-length victory in a one-mile overnight stakes. She will be facing Flutterby for the second time this season, the pair having finished third and second behind runaway winner Merry Meadow in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney on July 5.
Flutterby sandwiched impressive stakes wins around her second-place finish in the Princess Rooney while showing steady improvement for her 94-year-old owner-trainer-breeder, Jerry Bozzo, throughout her 4-year-old campaign. And had she won the Princess Rooney, Flutterby might be joining Kiss to Remember for the Filly and Mare Sprint.
“She’s kind of a nervous filly, and I’m not sure how she’d handle the shipping, but it would have been hard not to go to the Breeders’ Cup if she won the Princess Rooney because it was a Win and You’re In [qualifier], and all the expenses would have been paid,” said Bozzo. “This race is kind of a challenge because they’ve written it back four times trying to get it to fill, and it’s hard to train a horse right for a race when you’re trying to hit a moving target.”
Flutterby blew out three furlongs in 36.40 seconds over a muddy and sealed track on Friday.
“The track wasn’t ideal, so I made sure she didn’t go too fast,” said Bozzo.
The remainder of the Added Elegance field appears to be overmatched, with Wolfson also entering his recently stakes-placed Quiet Hour.
KEY CONTENDERS
Kiss to Remember (Last 3 Beyers: 90-90-88)
◗ She began the year with trainer Tom Amoss before being purchased privately and joining Wolfson’s barn late last spring.
◗ She finished second in the Ballerina despite jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. losing his stick in the stretch run.
“She should have won,” said Wolfson. “She stumbled out of the gate, and the rider lost the whip at a crucial part of the race.”
Flutterby (Last 3 Beyers: 89-94-98)
◗ Stretching out to seven furlongs is Bozzo’s biggest concern as the homebred finished third in her only previous start at the distance.
“Seven furlongs is kind of new to her, and in addition, she drew the 8 post, but speed is her biggest asset, so we’ll let her run her kind of race, which is on the front end.”
Lochte returns for Mr. Steele
Lochte returns to the scene of his finest hour, his victory in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap during the winter of 2014, for the Mr. Steele. Lochte spent the summer at Monmouth Park, where he finished second behind the multiple stakes-winning New York-bred Kharafa in the Elkwood and most recently third, beaten just a half-length, in the Grade 3 Cliff Hanger.
Wolfson will counter with the much-improved Golden Rifle, who has won three of his last four starts, including the Eight Miles East Stakes here Aug. 8.
KEY CONTENDERS
Lochte (Last 3 Beyers: 95-89-94)
◗ Although he’s hit the board in six of his seven starts at the distance, Lochte has never won at a mile on turf.
Golden Rifle (Last 3 Beyers: 94-86-66)
◗ He has won both previous starts with Tyler Gaffalione aboard but will not get the benefit of the five-pound apprentice allowance in the overnight stakes while carrying the high weight of 123 pounds, four more than Lochte, under the conditions of the race.