Marine Stakes: Ami's Flatter takes next step toward Queen's Plate
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Ami’s Flatter returns to Woodbine on Saturday as a prime Queen’s Plate contender in the $150,000 Marine, a Grade 3 stakes over 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-olds.
Ami’s Flatter possessed sufficient points to compete in the Kentucky Derby, but owner Ivan Dalos decided to bypass the Derby with the Josie Carroll-trained runner in favor of a run at the $1 million Plate.
Ami’s Flatter closed for second in the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream, before finishing fourth in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.
Ami’s Flatter rebounded March 7 in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby, ending up second to Carpe Diem. He has been idle since running a distant third in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream.
KEY CONTENDERS
Ami’s Flatter (Last 3 Beyers: 88-89-82)
◗ The Flatter colt had worked nicely from the gate prior to his debut on the Polytrack here Nov. 9, which he won comfortably after vying for the lead. His recent works included a half-mile breeze in 47.40 seconds last Sunday.
U S Marshal (Last 3 Beyers: 86-75-56)
◗ After three optional-claiming outings on the grass at Gulfstream, he won the 1 1/16-mile Wando Stakes here after attending a slow pace on the Polytrack, the surface over which he earned his diploma Nov. 23. Being a Kentucky-bred, he is ineligible for the July 5 Plate.
Danish Dynaformer (Last 3 Beyers: 82-79-66)
◗ The promising Dynaformer colt graduated in his third start on the Gulfstream grass in February and then won an allowance over yielding ground at Keeneland.
◗ Trainer Roger Attfield felt that Danish Dynaformer’s debut on the Polytrack in November, when he ran fifth in U S Marshal’s graduation, was better than it appears at face value.
“I was really encouraged by that race,” Attfield explained. “It got to the end of the year, and he was ready to run. He wasn’t cranked up to run his best, but I wanted to get some experience into him before the end of the 2-year-old year. It put him into good shape going into the winter.”
R U Watchingbud (Last 3 Beyers: 79-82-58)
◗ An impressive winner of the May 2 Queenston Stakes, he is going long for the first time with ample stamina in his pedigree.
Decision Day (Last 3 Beyers: 78-71-47)
◗ Last year’s Coronation Futurity winner was unplaced in two winter excursions in graded stakes company at Gulfstream. He folded in the final furlong after leading the way as the favorite in the Wando.