Meet's first stakes draw competitive fields

A pair of 3-year-old stakes share the spotlight on Saturday’s nine-race program at Gulfstream Park West. Both the $75,000 Cellars Shiraz for fillies and $75,000 Showing Up are scheduled to be run over a mile on turf.

The Cellars Shiraz, the first stakes to be run at this 40-day meet, drew eight horses and goes as race 7. The Showing Up drew 11 and goes as race 9.

Red Rounder appears to be sitting on a big effort in the Cellars Shiraz. Trained by Mike Maker, the Calumet Farm homebred by English Channel is coming off a sixth-place finish in the rich Dueling Grounds Oaks on Sept. 8 at Kentucky Downs. She was sitting second at the one-mile call, but could not keep up late in the 1 5/16-mile race.

In her race prior to that, she finished a neck behind Zarina in the one-mile Martha Washington on turf July 6 at Gulfstream Park. She rallied late in her narrow defeat.

“It looked like her last race was a bit too far for her,” Maker said. “I think a mile, a mile and a sixteenth would be her best run. I would like to see her a bit closer on Saturday. She should love the firm ground.”

Red Rounder will break from the outside post with Reylu Gutierrez up.

Raki rallied late to pull off a huge upset in the $75,000 Miss Gracie on Sept. 14 at Gulfstream Park.

The Eduardo Azpurua trainee paid $61.40 for her one-length victory over Beechwood Ella in the one-mile race on turf. Zarina finished third.

The 85 Beyer Speed Figure she received is the best in the field.

The Florida-bred daughter of Two Step Salsa should have an honest pace to work with on Saturday and could get up in time with a similar performance. She will break from post 4 with Carlos Lugo retaining the mount.

Competition runs deep in the Showing Up.

Scraps is on a roll with back-to-back wins on the Gulfstream Park turf course for trainer Stanley Gold.

Following his win as the 8-5 favorite in a first-level allowance race for Florida-breds that carried a $16,000 claiming option in August, he was impressive winning the $75,000 Bears Den Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths over next-out winner Timmy M on Sept. 21.

He does his best running late, and there should be ample speed to set him up.

The Arindel homebred breaks from post 6 with Jairo Rendon riding.

The Black Album is looking for his second win in North America, the first coming in the $100,000 Charlie Barley on June 29 at Woodbine.

Trained by Rodolphe Brisset, he will appreciate the class relief and added distance following a 10th-place finish in the Grade 3 Franklin-Simpson on Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.

Well Defined, a Grade 3 winner on dirt for trainer Kathleen O’Connell, will try turf for the first time.

He took them all the way in the Grade 3 Sam Davis at Tampa Bay Downs and also in the $400,000 Florida Sire Stakes In Reality last year. His other win came in his debut in a maiden special weight for Florida-breds with Edgard Zayas aboard.

He’s doing real good and worked real good a couple of days ago,” O’Connell said. “Edgard is going to be reunited with him, so I am hoping for a big effort.”