Silk Ridge's price a rare surprise on Showcase Day

MIAMI - There was very little drama on this year's Juvenile Showcase card.

Six stakes races were decided on Juvenile Showcase Day, with the closest decision Honey Honey Honey's 1 1/2-length victory over the late-charging Ed the Boxer in the Seacliff Stakes. Three of the six stakes were no contests at all. Silk Ridge blew away the competition with an 8o3/4-length victory in the Susan's Girl Stakes, Wise Answer was similarly dominant taking the Affirmed by nearly seven lengths, while Ultimate Authority cruised to a 7 1/2-length triumph in the five-furlong Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash.

Silk Ridge has been overlooked in the wagering in the opening two legs of the filly division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. A daughter of Eltish, she was 13-1 last month when she overcame trouble to upset the six-furlong Desert Vixen Stakes, yet she was still dismissed at 7-1 despite facing virtually the same field in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl. But unless somebody special ships to town for the final leg, Silk Ridge figures to be odds-on to sweep the series when she returns in the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl on Oct. 13.

"She overcame a lot of trouble to win the first one, and all we did with her since then was just to keep her happy," said Gordon Potter, who trains Silk Ridge for owner Karen Keen. "I see no reason why she won't get two turns."

Potter gave Silk Ridge's owner all the credit for selecting the filly for a bargain $5,200 at the Ocala Breeders' 2006 August yearling sales.

"She picked her out, I just okayed her," said Potter, who does not plan to run Silk Ridge again until the My Dear Girl.

Wise Answer proved no match for local division leader Big City Man in the Dr. Fager Stakes last month. But Big City Man is no longer a factor in the Stallion Stakes after being purchased privately on Friday and scratched out of the Affirmed by her former trainer, Jose Pinchen.

With Big City Man out of the picture, Wise Answer stepped to the head of the class. He drew off to an easy win over Hey Byrn after inheriting the lead when Turnpike Tommy ducked in leaving the seven-furlong chute, unseating jockey Jeffrey Sanchez.

David Brownlee, trainer of Wise Answer, said he was actually disappointed he didn't get a second chance to run again Big City Man in the Affirmed.

"I was sorry to see the other horse scratched," said Brownlee. "I thought we had a big chance to beat him. The last time Wise Answer got in so much trouble. He got trapped down on the inside for three-eighths of a mile, and the winner had a clean trip. Once my horse finally got loose it was too late."

Wise Answer is a homebred son of Wised Up owned by Brownlee's principal client, the J D Farms. Like Silk Ridge, Wise Answer will not run again until Oct. 13, in the $400,000 In Reality Stakes.

Filly doesn't disappoint

Excessive Heat returned quick dividends for her new owners, capturing Saturday's Catcharisingstar Stakes by 3 1/2 lengths. She won the five furlong turf stakes as the 1-5 favorite despite stumbling badly leaving the starting gate.

Excessive Heat, a 2-year-old daughter of Bring the Heat, was purchased privately by owners Richard Ravin and Larry Rivelli from her former owner-trainer, Wesley Ward, following an easy victory in the GTOBA Juvenile Filly Turf Dash on Aug. 11. The Chicago-based Rivelli, who now trains Excessive Heat, was not present for the Catcharisingstar, with local trainer Allen Hunter saddling the filly in his absence.

Pair of speedsters in feature

Friday's $28,000 allowance feature will match the speed of Secret Girlfriend and Angel Wings against late-runners Sophisticatedevent and Chiara at six furlongs.

Secret Girlfriend has won 2 of her 3 starts, with both victories coming on the lead. Angel Wings, another at her best on the front end, returns to the allowance ranks after having her two-race win streak snapped when finishing a tiring fourth in the Lady Luck overnight stakes.

Sophisticatedevent has posted a win and a second-place finish in her last two tries against allowance competition, sandwiching those performances around four dull showings against stakes company.

Chiara won a second-level allowance dash in the slop on June 14 but has not started since finishing last after breaking poorly in the Distaff Turf Sprint Handicap on July 7.

* Saturday's $50,000 Ambehaving Stakes will see a rematch of the first two finishers in last year's edition of the 1 1/16-mile overnight event, B. B. Best and Big Lover. Other key contenders include Electrify, Finallymadeit, Rehoboth, Firebrook, Hal's My Hope, and Golden Strategy.