Mazarine winner Witwatersrand switches to dirt for Forward Gal

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Witwatersrand, [pronounced vit-vaters-rond], is named for gold fields in South Africa. The 3-year-old filly will try to see if there is a pot of gold for her on dirt when she makes her first start on that surface in Saturday’s Grade 3, $125,000 Forward Gal Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

At 2, Witwatersrand, a daughter of Connect trained by Mark Casse, went 2 for 3 over Woodbine’s synthetic surface, including a victory in the Grade 3 Mazarine Stakes.

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Casse said Witwatersrand had trained well on dirt at his farm and at Churchill Downs in the spring, but he sent her to Woodbine to get her started.

“She’s trained well on the dirt, her pedigree says dirt, I don’t see why she can’t dirt,” Casse said. “Her last race was pretty powerful. I know it was on synthetic.”

Witwatersrand drew the outside post in this seven-horse field that includes Florida Stallion Stakes winner R Harper Rose and recent maiden winners Scalable and Nikitis.

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