Madame Uno seeks return to form in Ginger Punch

Draw a line through Madame Uno’s most recent outing and she looks tough to beat when she returns with statebreds on Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the $100,000 Ginger Punch for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on turf.

Madame Uno had a three-race win streak snapped this spring when she finished a wide-running sixth as the favorite against open company in the Powder Break Stakes. Prior to that, Madame Uno had been unbeatable this year, winning a $50,000 starter allowance by 2 1/4 lengths and a Florida-bred optional-claiming race by nearly nine lengths before outlasting stablemate Surprise Wedding to register a mild upset in the Distaff Turf at Tampa Bay Downs in March.

“Her blood came back a little funky after her last start, which as far as I’m concerned is the explanation for why she didn’t quite run up to expectations in the Powder Break,” trainer David Fawkes said. “I’m just throwing that race right out. I just gave her a three-week vacation at my house after that race, and she’s been doing fabulous since coming back to the track. She’s worked a couple of times, and both works were excellent.”

Madame Uno has been at her best when on the lead, but Fawkes said if someone else wants to go, he’s confident she can sit right off the pace and still be effective Saturday.

“She won the starter race here sitting just off the lead and broke her maiden from midpack, so I don’t think she’s necessarily a need-the-lead type,” Fawkes said.

Madame Uno will carry high weight of 123 pounds, including jockey Edgard Zayas, under the allowance conditions of the main event.

Warranty was purchased privately by AI Racing Stable and turned over to trainer Lisa Lewis after rallying to win her third straight race Jan. 21 at Gulfstream Park. She beat open optional-claiming competition and earned a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure. Warranty was trained by Chad Brown prior to changing hands.

“Her owners race both in Florida and New York and felt being a Florida-bred, this filly would be better served to remain down here for the summer,” said Lewis. “She got a foot abscess after I first got her in March, and I lost a little time with her at that point. But she’s been doing well, and her last two works were visually impressive. She finished nicely and galloped out strong and while in pretty good company the last time. Now we’ll see if she can make the next step forward moving in against stakes company.”

Bitacora has maintained top form since finishing fifth in the Sunshine Millions Turf on Jan. 20, having registered a win and three seconds in her last four starts. She is trained by Peter Walder, who claimed the filly for $50,000 out of her 3-year-old finale in December. Bitacora finished second, beaten a half-length, after a furious rally from the rear of the field in the 2017 Ginger Punch.

Admiral’s Win upset Bitacora when the pair met on March 29 and cannot be discounted, especially if the pace is honest.