Pool of talent deep for Harlan's Holiday
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – On Nov. 23, 2013, Valid splashed to a 23-length allowance win at Gulfstream Park while earning a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure. What at the time seemed to be an aberration turned out to be the start of an amazing two-year run during which the consistent Valid rose to the top of the local handicap division and finished fifth this fall in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.
Valid will cap off another outstanding campaign as one of the favorites in Saturday’s extremely competitive Harlan’s Holiday Stakes. The 1 1/16-mile dirt race drew a graded-stakes-caliber field which also includes likely favorite Madefromlucky, Sr. Quisqueyano, Encryption, and Mr. Jordan.
The Harlan’s Holiday will share top billing on the 11-race program with the Grade 3 Rampart and a pair of turf stakes, the $100,000 El Prado and its filly counterpart, the $100,000 South Beach.
Valid has won a pair of Grade 3 stakes this season, the Fred Hooper here in February and the Iselin at Monmouth Park on Aug. 30. His best effort of the year, however, may have come in defeat when he finished third, beaten a length by Honor Code, following a near race-long pace duel with Private Zone in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap.
Valid broke from post 10 in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, which hurt his chances, said trainer Marcus Vitali.
“He came out of the Breeders’ Cup really well,” said Vitali. “We gave him a little breather and he’s doing excellent coming into the race, so I expect him to run good again. I was really happy with his race in the Breeders’ Cup. The post killed us. I’m not saying we would have won it with a better post, but I think he could have been third.”
Madefromlucky has won a pair of Grade 2 races this year, the Peter Pan at Belmont and West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer. He was transferred from John Mazza to trainer Todd Pletcher’s barn here in February. Madefromlucky is coming off a second-place finish behind stablemate Tommy Macho in the Grade 2 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct.
“It’s coming up like a graded-caliber race, but I expect him to run well,” said Pletcher.
Sr. Quisqueyano will make his first start since finishing sixth as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park on May 1. Trainer Peter Walder said he is using this race as a prep for a defense of Sr. Quisqueyano’s title in next month’s Sunshine Millions Classic.
Mr. Jordan has been idle since finishing far behind American Pharoah in the Grade 1 Haskell. The 3-year-old Mr. Jordan had crossed the finish line first in five of his six previous starts, including the Grade 3 Pegasus at Monmouth Park, although he did lose one of those victories via a disqualification.
Encryption comes off a big effort when third behind Race Day and Hoppertunity in the Grade 2 Fayette at Keeneland.
◗ Trainer Marty Wolfson entered three of the eight members of the Rampart lineup, including Best Behavior, who was supplemented to the one-mile race for fillies and mares. Best Behavior has been idle since defeating mid-level optional-claiming opposition going a mile here nearly five months ago.
Best Behavior will be joined by stablemates Cali Star, who exits an impressive victory under similar conditions here on Nov. 18, and the 3-year-old Curlin’s Princess.
Pink Poppy, winner of the Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf earlier this year, will try the main track for the first time in her career. Other contenders in the Rampart include Legal Laura, winner of the Sunshine Millions Distaff Preview last month at Gulfstream Park West, and the graded-stakes-placed New Jersey-bred Stiffed.
Harlan’s Holiday, Race 10
KEY CONTENDERS
Valid (Last 3 Beyers: 98-92-100)
◗ “He loves it here,” said Vitali, referring to the fact Valid has posted five of his 10 victories at Gulfstream.
Madefromlucky (Last 3 Beyers: 93-84-95)
◗ “I think he’s a littl- better at a mile and one-eighth but I’d like to keep him around two turns before the Donn,” said Pletcher.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Madefromlucky. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 27-16-3-2 with a $2.54 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes at Gulfstream Park in the second start following a layoff and with John Velazquez aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Sr. Quisqueyano (Last 3 Beyers: 77-109-91)
◗ He extended Grade 1 winner Commissioner through a furious stretch drive before dropping a neck decision while earning a career-best 109 Beyer Figure in the Grade 3 Skip Away here in March.
Encryption (Last 3 Beyers: 98-103-85)
◗ He has posted three of his four wins at 1 1/16 miles.
Rampart Stakes, Race 3
KEY CONTENDERS
Best Behavior (Last 3 Beyers: 86-87-66)
◗ She has won two of her three starts at a mile, including the restricted Glass Slipper here one year ago.
Cali Star (Last 3 Beyers: 88-78-75)
◗ Improving filly has trained extremely well since her easy victory four weeks ago over Danessa Deluxe and Curlin’s Princes, two of her seven rivals in the Rampart.
Legal Laura (Last 3 Beyers: 82-76-72)
◗ Comes off the two best races of her career, a troubled second at Keeneland on Oct. 18, followed by her victory in the Distaff Millions Preview.