Let Them Watch comes into Glitter Woman off sharp work

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Let Them Watch will try to bring in the new year in the same manner she rang out the old one, with a stakes victory, when she goes postward the likely favorite and one to catch in Sunday’s $100,000 Glitter Woman at Gulfstream Park.

The Glitter Woman lured a field of seven 3-year-old fillies to go six panels and serves as a prep for the Grade 3 Forward Gal at seven furlongs on Feb. 3.

Let Them Watch has used her blazing speed to capture three of her four career starts, including the Sharp Susan Stakes by 2 3/4 lengths here Aug. 13 and the Sandpiper at Tampa Bay Downs in similar gate-to-wire fashion in her juvenile finale on Dec. 2. She has turned in three subsequent works prepping for her 3-year-old debut, including a sharp half-mile in 47.09 seconds here Dec. 31 that began with a lively 22.92 opening quarter-mile split.

Hector Diaz Jr., who has ridden Let Them Watch to all three of her victories, has the call again for trainer Mike Maker in the Glitter Woman.

Let Them Watch is one of five fillies coming into the race off victories in their previous starts, a group that includes impressive maiden winners Into Champagne and Launch.

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Into Champagne began her career in impressive fashion, running to her 2-1 backing at first asking with a 6 3/4-length maiden special weight victory on June 16 at Ellis Park for which she received a 70 Beyer Speed Figure. What makes the performance all the more special is the fact Into Champagne is trained by Ian Wilkes, who readily admits he rarely cranks his first-time starters up to produce their peak effort right off the bench.

“No, I don’t usually like to empty the tank with first-time starters, I like them to run a race first time out off which I know they’re going to get better the next time,” Wilkes said. “But she had trained exceptionally well coming into her first start. Everything I worked her with, she handled very easily.”

Wilkes sent Into Champagne to Ellis Park for her debut out of necessity, not by design, with Churchill Downs closed at the time she was ready to kick off her career. Unfortunately, Wilkes had to give Into Champagne a little break after her one-sided maiden win.

“She had a little issue, a 2-year-old thing, but we’ve been able to get a lot of works into her prepping for her return and she’s doing very well,” Wilkes advised. “Is she 110 percent [fit] coming into this race? No, she’s not. But she’s ready to run, and six furlongs was a good place to bring her back.”

As for drawing the rail in the Glitter Woman, Wilkes said there isn’t much he could do about that.

“The post draw was out of my control, but there looks to be plenty of speed in the race, so hopefully she’ll be able to work out a trip,” he said.

Julien Leparoux, who guided Into Champagne to her maiden win, will be back aboard Sunday.

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Launch began her career in Europe, making seven starts, all on turf, before shipping to the United States to join trainer Jorge Delgado’s barn at Delaware Park where she won her North American debut by 7 1/2 lengths over the main track Oct. 18. She too has been training forwardly for the Glitter Woman, her most recent work a bullet half-mile in 46.92 in company here Dec. 27.

Caress figures to take plenty of support returning to stakes company off a game second-place finish under entry-level allowance conditions going seven furlongs on Dec. 3 at Aqueduct. Race winner Leslie’s Loot flattered the performance when returning to capture the Letellier Memorial at Fair Grounds in her 2-year-old finale.

Maryland-bred stakes winner Kissedbyanangel, Indescriptable, and Scootaloo complete the lineup.

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