Rivals aplenty for Curlin's Approval in Hurricane Bertie

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Curlin’s Approval had only six rivals to beat when she registered a popular 2 1/2-length decision in the 2017 Hurricane Bertie. But the opposition will nearly be double in numbers and include her own half-sister, Apologynotaccepted, when the reigning winner returns Saturday to defend her title in the Grade 3 filly and mare dash at Gulfstream Park.

Curlin’s Approval launched a banner 4-year-old season last year with her relatively easy tally in the seven-furlong Hurricane Bertie, a stellar performance she exceeded just three weeks later when stretching to 1 1/16 miles to capture the Grade 2 Royal Delta by an even more impressive six-length margin. Overall, the homebred daughter of Curlin won 4 of 9 starts in 2017, including the Grade 2 Princess Rooney.

Unfortunately, Curlin’s Approval lost all chance when stumbling at the start of the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, finishing a distant 13th, before returning home to close the year with a runner-up effort behind the up-and-coming Lewis Bay going a mile Dec. 16 in the Grade 3 Rampart.

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“She’s going into the [Hurricane Bertie] this year the same way she did last year, off a second-place finish in the Rampart,” said Happy Alter, the horse’s owner, trainer, and breeder. “And I think she’s coming into the race every bit as sharp as she did last time.”

Alter said the bulky field could be a concern, but remains confident his filly is the one to beat Saturday.

“You always worry about getting in a box, but I think she’ll be able to get in good position,” said Alter, who has Curlin’s Approval’s regular rider, the red-hot Luis Saez, in the saddle.

Alter said it will be a little strange having Apologynotaccepted as one of his 11 opponents – a horse he also owned and bred before selling a half share following her debut win in March 2016 and his remaining holdings in the mare at the Keeneland sale in November. Apologynotaccepted, who finished second behind Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Forever Unbridled in the Grade 2 Fleur de Lis Handicap at Churchill Downs in June, will be making her first start for trainer Brendan Walsh.

“It will be odd running against another horse I bred, Curlin’s half-sister,” Alter said. “But at the same time, I am proud that she was Grade 2-placed behind probably the best mare in the world right now last summer in Kentucky.”

Trainer Bob Hess Jr. shipped Marley’s Freedom cross-country to make her 4-year-old debut in the Hurricane Bertie. The lightly raced Marley’s Freedom is coming off a fourth-place finish behind two of the premier female sprinters in the country, Unique Bella and Paradise Woods, in the Grade 1 La Brea when trying seven furlongs for the first time Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Five of the dozen Hurricane Bertie starters enter the event off victories, including Rich Mommy, winner of the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl five weeks ago; Shar Ran, Spice Lady, Magalie, and Moonlit Promise. The Grade 3-placed Jordan’s Henny, Bodacious Babe, Nonna Mela, and Money Or Love round out the lineup.

Moonlit Promise was undefeated in three starts a year ago, two of those victories coming in graded stakes at Woodbine, although she’s never run on dirt and thus remains a big question mark in her U.S. debut. Moonlit Promise has been training forwardly over the main track at the Palm Meadows training center for trainer Josie Carroll.