Pair of comebackers intrigue in turf stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – One week ahead of what everyone is hoping will be a smooth Florida Derby Day, 3-year-old turf sprinters will take the Gulfstream Park spotlight when a pair of $75,000 stakes anchor a 12-race Saturday program that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern.

The Texas Glitter and Melody of Colors, both set for five furlongs on the turf, will be co-featured on a solid card that also includes an allowance race and an optional claimer. All four of those races are part of a Rainbow 6 (races 7-12) projected to offer a pool guarantee of about $1.75 million, assuming a solo winning ticket did not empty the jackpot Thursday or Friday.

Next Saturday, March 28, marks the crescendo of the four-month championship meet, with the $1 million Florida Derby being one of seven stakes. Gulfstream has yet to announce whether the Rainbow 6 pool will be forced out on Florida Derby Day or the following day, the final card of the meet.

Mostly sunny skies and a high of 80 are in the Saturday forecast. Until further notice, Gulfstream will continue to exclude all non-essential personnel, including spectators, from the property.

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Texas Glitter (race 11)

Another Miracle, third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November, will be making his 3-year-old debut against seven other colts and geldings after recently being transferred into the care of trainer Joe Orseno.

Another Miracle had been trained by Gary Contessa, who is officially retiring next week to seek different employment in the racing industry. The American Pharoah colt had been overseen at Tampa Bay Downs by Contessa’s assistant, Amira Chichakly, until being sent March 8 to Orseno at the Palm Meadows training center.

“This is the race I’d had my eye on for quite a while,” Contessa said this week from the Ocala sales. “Joe and I have talked quite a bit about him. Everything’s good, all set.”

Another Miracle won the Skidmore last summer at Saratoga before finishing behind Four Wheel Drive in both the Futurity at Belmont and the Breeders’ Cup. His lone start in the interim resulted in a distant fifth-place finish in the Dec. 7 Inaugural at Tampa but seems easily excused, given it came over dirt.

Jose Ortiz was named to ride Another Miracle, but with the jockey having taken off the remainder of the meet because of a recurring issue with his injured right wrist, a replacement will be needed. Orseno said Thursday he had yet to secure one.

There seems to be plenty of opposing speed to set things up for Another Miracle’s sustained kick, with Aye Aye Sir, Cajun Casanova, and R Man Joe all likely to show early interest. R Man Joe, the only maiden in the lineup, represents the first start for trainer Georgina Baxter since she served a 25-day suspension for a medication violation.

Melody of Colors (race 9)

Foolish Humor, who earned a trip to Royal Ascot last June following a rousing debut victory for trainer Wesley Ward at Belmont Park, will make her first start at 3 when facing 10 other fillies.

Foolish Humor was entered last month in a Gulfstream allowance, but the Distorted Humor filly was scratched after the race was rained off the turf. “She’s trained right along since then,” said Ward.

Luis Saez will be aboard Foolish Humor when breaking from post 7. Her main threats could come from the speedy Ocala shipper, Hear My Prayer, or Mrs. Maisel, the only two-time winner over the local course.