Ramsey hopes the only fireworks are figurative in Proud Man
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After a dreadful stakes debut last month, 2-year-old colt Street Player seems poised to make a more determined effort in the $75,000 Proud Man Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Rain could compromise him again, but at least the skies should be clear of pyrotechnics.
The night before the $100,000 Prairie Gold Juvenile, Street Player did not look the part of a contender as fireworks exploded across the sky above him. He was fractious in his stall and terribly frightened by nearby Fourth of July celebrations. Racing was the furthest thing from his mind.
After a commanding seven-length maiden victory at Gulfstream in May, trainer Nolan Ramsey brought Street Player to Prairie Meadows in search of a score in stakes company. Instead, he had to watch as his wound-up colt engaged in a speed duel on a wet track with total disinterest and quickly faded to finish seventh by 26 3/4 lengths.
“A couple of days after the race, [we] ended up blowing out an abscess in his left front,” Ramsey said. “We had a lot of things going on and nothing seemed to go his way, but he’s doing well.”
In the Proud Man, Ramsey’s colt will break from the rail and is one of just two runners in the field with stakes experience. Squire, a gelding trained by Patrick Biancone, finished second in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile on turf in May.
The other seven juveniles in the field are coming off maiden victories. Trelawny, Copernium, and Wine Candy earned convincing wins in open company and could receive more attention from bettors.
Sharp Susan
Evolution, a 2-year-old filly trained by Carlos David, will return to Gulfstream Park as a contender in the $75,000 Sharp Susan Stakes. The Florida-bred shipped to Saratoga last month for the $150,000 Schuylerville but never had a chance due to a brutal trip.
“We just decided to send her right back and get her ready for this race,” David said. “It’s not an easy spot by any means.”
After a solid 2 3/4-length victory in a $68,000 maiden special weight at Gulfstream in June, David was encouraged to bring the filly to New York for a challenge in stakes company. She had trouble from the beginning in the Schuylerville, however, stumbling slightly at the break and tossing a shoe. She shot up the rail to engage in a four-way speed duel, was checked in tight quarters around the turn, and faded badly in the stretch.
Evolution had much better luck in her maiden victory at Gulfstream, and a key scratch in the Sharp Susan should improve her chances. Late Night Text, third-place finisher in the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity at Lone Star, will not return to stakes company on Saturday. Ramsey, her trainer, said he wants to focus on guiding her to a maiden victory at Ellis Park instead.
Without the likely favorite in what would have been a field of nine, the Sharp Susan will likely be contested between Evolution and five last-out maiden winners. Dakota’s Little Auror, Mo Hijinx, Tessellate, and Willow Case are all coming off victories at Gulfstream, while Victory Music will make her second start for Mike Maker after a 2 3/4-length score at Churchill Downs.
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