Maker loaded for Claiming Crown turf stakes

Trainer Mike Maker will attack the premier turf offerings on the Claiming Crown program at Gulfstream Park on Saturday with four older horses in the $125,000 Emerald and three fillies and mares in the $125,000 Tiara. Both route races drew overflow fields, as did the card’s turf sprint, the $110,000 Canterbury, led by Mongol Bull, Mr. Online, and the mare Quality Lass.

Maker’s starters in the Emerald, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds and up, all bring different running styles to the table.

“Dreams Cut Short comes from way off of it,” Maker said. “Longhunter is always forwardly placed. Sayler’s Creek is kind of a stalker, and Saffron Hall adapts to any pace scenario.”

The Emerald (Race 9)

KEY CONTENDERS

Longhunter (Last 3 Beyers: 71-102-101)

◗ He is a Grade 1-placed runner making his first start since finishing sixth in the Grade 3 Commonwealth at Keeneland on April 12.

“We gave him some time off after Keeneland,” Maker said. “He’s trained superbly. He’s on top of his game.”

◗ Longhunter will be moving back to two turns and turf, and when last seen racing under such conditions, he won back-to-back optional claimers in January and February with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

“The two times he ran two turns at Gulfstream, he won pretty impressively,” Maker said. “His last few races [at Gulfstream] were excellent.”

◗ Edgard Zayas has the mount from post 9.

Dreams Cut Short (Last 3 Beyers: 90-95-91)

◗ Dreams Cut Short also faced Grade 3 company last out, running seventh in the Tropical Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park West.

“He caught a soft turf course last time and didn’t really handle it all that well,” Maker said. “At that point, we weren’t sure if we were going in the Claiming Crown. [But] he’s run well over the Gulfstream turf course. I think he’s a dangerous horse.”

◗ Edgar Prado has the mount from post 11.

Sayler’s Creek (Last 3 Beyers: 87-88-88)

◗ Sayler’s Creek was second by a half-length in a $20,000 starter allowance after contesting the pace in the Nov. 2 race at Churchill Downs.

“He’s usually not that close,” Maker said. “There was not a whole lot of speed in that race last time.”

Saffron Hall (Last 3 Beyers: 94-90-85)

◗ He’s won four of his last five starts and will be seeking to make it three in a row Saturday.

“He likes to win,” said Maker.

The Tiara (Race 5)

KEY CONTENDERS

Wild Swava (Last 3 Beyers: 85-88-88)

◗ She’s gone 7 for 10 this year, winning from the $7,500 starter level to an Indiana-bred stakes in August.

“She’s handled everything we’ve thrown at her,” Maker said. “She’s just a quality horse and adapts to any circumstances.”

St. Borealis (Last 3 Beyers: 77-72-69)

◗ She was a $16,000 claim Aug. 29, won that day, and in her first start for Ken and Sarah Ramsey, the daughter of War Chant captured a $40,000 claiming race at Churchill.

“She was claimed as a broodmare,” Maker said, “and we trained her a little bit, liked the way she was doing, and ran her back, and she ran to our expectations. She deserved her chance [in the Claiming Crown].”

Scenario Analysis (Last 3 Beyers: 71-68-67)

◗ She’s making her first start in three months because she’s not been able to get in a race, said Maker.

“I’ve always been high on her,” he said.