Play On meets tough group in Mamzelle
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Richard Klein had forgotten that a horse named Play On finished second to Gate Dancer in the 1984 Preakness when he gave one of his homebreds the same name. The 2016 foal named Play On would do well to attain a similar level of fame, but she’ll have to go about it in a different way.
“She’s cut out to be a turf sprinter,” said Klein, who last Saturday was in attendance of his 48th straight Kentucky Derby. “If she’s going to make a name for herself, that’s how she’ll do it.”
Play On, a winner of 3 of her first 5 starts and already an ungraded stakes winner, figures as a major contender Saturday at Churchill Downs in the featured Mamzelle, a $100,000 overnight race scheduled for five furlongs on the turf. Trained by Brad Cox, the Country Day filly will have Shaun Bridgmohan aboard when she breaks from post 12 in a field of 13 3-year-old fillies.
Coming off a rousing victory in the Melody of Colors at the Gulfstream Park championship meet, Play On was sent away the 9-5 favorite last month in the Limestone Turf Sprint at Keeneland, but came up empty after forcing the early pace. Ginger Nut came from far back to prevail, with Play On fading to seventh.
“Hopefully with her outside post, Shaun can just let her do her thing like in some of her previous races,” said Klein. “The Churchill surface is more like Gulfstream’s, and for some reason she didn’t seem to handle the Keeneland turf. The main thing is she’s doing great and training great.”
Just as at Keeneland, Play On will face rugged opposition, most notably a trio trained by Wesley Ward. The Hat Creek Racing pair of Chelsea Cloisters (post 5, Brian Hernandez Jr.), the runner-up here last fall to Bulletin in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and Abyssinian (post 9, Tyler Gaffalione), third versus male rivals in the Palisades on opening day at Keeneland, are the most potent of the Ward contingent. Iva (post 1, Julio Garcia) rounds out the threesome.
Chelsea Cloisters finished an even third in the April 12 Limestone at Keeneland in her seasonal debut. “That race should do her a lot of good,” said Ward.
Other possibilities in a deep lineup include Kim K (post 4, Ricardo Santana Jr.) and Catherinethegreat (post 7, Julien Leparoux), both regrouped since failed runs last fall in the Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland, and Maryland shipper Queen of Bermuda (post 11, Chris Landeros), fourth in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint and more recently the beaten favorite in the Mizdirection at Aqueduct.
The Mamzelle, named for G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s standout filly of the early 1980s, goes as the 10th of 11 races on a Saturday card that starts at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Post time for the feature is 5:26. Two allowances also are on tap, including an $89,000 second-level route (race 9) in which such recognizable names as Funny Duck, Hawaakom, and Solomini are among a field of 10.
For the record, the 1981 foal Play On was trained by Billy Turner of Seattle Slew fame. He was 8-1 when he finished 1 1/2 lengths behind Gate Dancer in the 109th Preakness, while Kentucky Derby winner Swale labored home seventh as the 4-5 favorite.
