Soft ground no problem for Stephanie’s Kitten, Watsdachances

ELMONT, N.Y. – The conditions for Saturday’s Grade 1 Flower Bowl could be very similar to what they were in the Beverly D. last month at Arlington, which could play in the favor of Stephanie’s Kitten and Watsdachances in the 1 1/4-mile turf race. Stephanie’s Kitten won last year’s Flower Bowl over firm turf.

There is the likelihood of soft or yielding turf, which was the case at Arlington, where the Chad Brown-trained duo of Watsdachances and Stephanie’s Kitten finished second and third behind Secret Gesture. Secret Gesture was disqualified from first for interfering with Stephanie’s Kitten, who was passed late by Watsdachances.

Secret Gesture did not come back for the Flower Bowl, but European shippers Curvy and Mutatis Mutandis are in the race. Curvy, a 3-year-old daughter of Galileo, has won on firm ground and is coming off a half-length loss in a Group 1 at Yorkshire over soft ground in August.

Others entered include America, Danza Caballo, and Regardez. Rosalind and Tiz So Sweet were entered for the main track only.

World Approval tops Hill Prince

World Approval, the winner of the Saranac Stakes at Saratoga last out, tops a full field of 3-year-olds entered to run 1 1/8 miles over the turf Saturday in the Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince Stakes.

In addition to winning the Saranac, World Approval won the Grade 3 American Derby at Arlington over a course labeled “good.”

World Approval beat Money Multiplier by a head in the Saranac and will face that horse again in the Hill Prince. The others entered are Courtier, Great Dancer, Jay Gatsby, Macher, Nonna’s Boy, Royal Albert Hall, Tale of Life, Vision Perfect, and Winter Springs.

Good Luck Gus was entered for the main track only.