Stakes-winning juveniles targeting first round of Florida Sire Stakes

A couple of last-out stakes winners are foremost among the 2-year-olds being pointed to the first six-figure stakes of the summer meet at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.

Positively Awesome, a 2 3/4-length winner of the June 30 Kodiak Island, and Lenzi’s Lucky Lady, a 5 1/4-length winner of the June 28 Golden Isles, head the prospective lineups for the six-furlong stakes – the $100,000 Dr. Fager for 2-year-olds and the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, respectively – that kick off the annual Florida Sire Stakes series on Saturday, Aug. 3.

Both likely favorites are homebreds who are unbeaten in two starts. Positively Awesome is trained by Ralph Nicks for the Jacks or Better Farm of Fred Brei, and Lenzi’s Lucky Lady is trained by Kathleen O’Connell for the Stonehedge LLC of Gilbert Campbell.

Entries for the Dr. Fager and Desert Vixen will be drawn Wednesday.

As always, the $1.4 million Sire Stakes series will unfold with higher purses and longer distances. The Affirmed and Susan’s Girl, each worth $200,000 at seven furlongs, are set for Aug. 31 and will be followed by the In Reality and My Dear Girl, each worth $400,000 at 1 1/16 miles, on Sept. 28.

This is the 38th straight year for a series dating to 1982. The Florida-bred stakes program is overseen by Gulfstream in conjunction with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association and the Florida Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.

The summer meet, which began July 1, runs through Sept. 29, after which racing moves to Gulfstream Park West for two months.

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Allowance feature gets six

An 11-race Sunday card otherwise comprising maiden or claiming races is highlighted by a $47,000 first-level allowance (race 4). Sky Chaser and Helping Lisa D are the probable favorites in a field of six fillies and mares going seven furlongs.

First post for the final card of a four-day race week is 1:15 p.m. Eastern. The 20-cent Rainbow 6, which had a jackpot of $264,616 when racing began Friday, spans races 6-11.

After Sunday, Gulfstream goes dark for three days before another four-day week resumes Thursday.

Torres wins three more

Apprentice rider Cristian Torres booted home three more winners Thursday at Gulfstream, vaulting the Puerto Rico native into second in the local jockey standings. Riding with a seven-pound allowance, Torres ended the day with the most mounts (99) at the summer meet and the second-most wins (19), just behind Edgard Zayas (21).

Torres, 21, began his career in April after working as an exercise rider for trainer Mark Casse. He rode a career-high four winners last Saturday.