Small Bear to spend winter in Florida

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Small Bear, neck winner of Saturday’s $150,000 Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct, will be among the 18 to 20 horses trainer Jeremiah Englehart will have in south Florida at the Palm Meadows training center for the upcoming winter meet.

Englehart said Small Bear would get a little down time in December before he starts cranking up for a potential start or two at Gulfstream Park. A race like the Grade 3, $150,000 Canadian Turf going a mile March 3 could be a return spot for Small Bear.

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Small Bear, owned by Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells, earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure for running 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.79 in the Gio Ponti. He beat Funtastic by a neck.

Englehart said he looks forward to having a Florida division in the winter “because it usually means you have some nice horses can you keep in training and get them in the better weather.”

Englehart said I Still Miss You and Indy’s Lady, the first- and third-place finishers from Friday’s Key Cents Stakes, would get about 45 days off in Florida before likely returning to the races in New York-bred competition at Aqueduct in 2018.

◗ Control Group came out of his victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 Discovery Stakes “a little tired,” but otherwise in good condition, according to trainer Rudy Rodriguez. Rodriguez said Control Group would likely point to the $125,000 Alex M. Robb Handicap on Dec. 31 at Aqueduct.

Control Group, a New York-bred son of Posse, earned a 101 Beyer for the Discovery. He led virtually gate to wire under Joel Rosario and won by three lengths.