Lord Juban offers rare turf chance

MIAMI - Turf stakes for 3-year-olds are few and far between throughout the year in south Florida, and members of the division could lose a rare opportunity to get on the grass with Sunday's $55,000 Lord Juban Stakes a good bet to be washed over to the main track.

Gulfstream Park carded only two turf races for 3-year-olds on its 2009 stakes schedule, the most recent being the Grade 3 Palm Beach on March 14, and there isn't a scheduled grass stakes for the division on the Calder calendar until the Needles on Sept. 26.

The one-mile Lord Juban lured a field of 11, with Duke of Mischief and Misty Oak likely to vie for favoritism if the overnight event somehow manages to survive the elements and go as scheduled on the grass.

Duke of Mischief is coming off a second-place effort in the Sophomore Turf at Tampa Bay Downs, earning a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure. A son of Graeme Hall trained by David Fawkes, Duke of Mischief won his only other turf try under an $80,000 claiming tag this winter at Gulfstream.

Misty Oak is another stretch-running and steadily improving colt. He rallied from far back to win his maiden over the local course on May 2 for trainer Marty Wolfson. Like Duke of Mischief, he posted an 81 Beyer.

Grand Cash is the only member of the field with more than a single win on grass, having posted back-to-back turf victories to close out his 2-year-old campaign and open his 3-year-old season for trainer David Vivian.

The two highest last-race Beyers in the field belong to the versatile Cinnamon Road and the much-improved Prince Joshua.

Cinnamon Road led throughout to beat mid-priced claimers while making only his second start on grass just eight days ago. But the gelded son of Delaware Township is equally comfortable on dirt, especially when allowed to relax on the lead.

Prince Joshua returned home off an unproductive winter at Gulfstream to post a pair of victories during the opening nine days of the current meet, including a 1 1/2-length decision in the 5 1/2-furlong Naked Greed Stakes on May 3. Prince Joshua has never raced on grass.

Sanders gets first Calder victory

Trainer Jamie Sanders, who is stabled locally for the first time this summer, made her first visit to the Calder winner's circle after sending out Bucky Came Home to a popular victory in Friday's third race. Sanders, a longtime assistant to Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, saddled Teuflesberg to a 17th-place finish in the 2007 Kentucky Derby.

Bucky Came Home was ridden to victory by Abad Cabassa Jr., who last year won his 1,000th race. Cabassa is off to a good start during the current session, having already booted home five winners to place him in the top 10 in the standings behind leading rider Manoel Cruz.