Stewart ships in two fillies for stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Dallas Stewart hasn't been stabled regularly at Gulfstream Park since 1998, but his familiar green and white saddle towel was back out on the track during training hours Wednesday morning and will be seen here regularly for the next several weeks.

Stewart has already shipped in two members of his stable, 3-year-old fillies Cape Hope and Hot Storm, for upcoming stakes, and is planning to bring his sprint star Clock Stopper over from the Fair Grounds in the near future. Cape Hope will be among the favorites in Sunday's $60,000 Gaily Gaily Stakes on the turf. Hot Storm will try her luck against the undefeated and untested Maddalena on March 5 in the Forward Gal Stakes, while Clock Stopper is being pointed for the $200,000 Richter Scale Handicap on March 12.

Cape Hope has raced twice on grass, winning by six lengths both times. The homebred daughter of Cape Town is owned by the Overbrook Farm.

"She's been excellent since we switched her to the turf," Stewart said Wednesday from Fair Grounds. "I had her in a grass race against the boys here last week but scratched her when it came off the turf. There are really no other spots for her here right now, which is why she's coming down there for this race. If she runs well I'll probably keep her around for the Herecomesthebride next month."

Hot Storm registered the biggest victory of her career in the Sunshine Millions Oaks at Santa Anita. She has captured 3 of her last 5 starts, with her only poor effort since her maiden win coming in her first attempt against winners, when she fell down leaving the starting gate.

"Her last race in California was a great race, and she's definitely a filly on the improve," said Stewart. "This spot fits her, and you don't want to be ducking one horse," he said, referring to Maddalena.

While Stewart has not been a regular here in seven years, he won't rule out the possibility of sending a division down in the future.

"I'm always thinking about coming back," he said. "It's just a matter of having the stock."

Among Cape Hope's chief foes in the 1 1/16-mile Gaily Gaily will be Dynamite Lass, who also won her first two starts on grass before she was beaten a neck by Dansetta Light in the Calder Oaks on New Year's Day.

"She's a hard filly to train, but she's doing very well and I think she's a very nice filly," said Kiaran McLaughlin, who trains Dynamite Lass for her owner and breeder, Alfred Corrado.

Dansetta Light is also expected to return in the Gaily Gaily, as is Paddy's Daisy, who closed her 2-year-old campaign winning three consecutive stakes, including Hollywood Park's Grade 3 Miesque.

Miracle Man improves to 2 for 2

Miracle Man thrust his name into the 3-year-old picture after registering an impressive victory under Cornelio Velasquez in a first-level allowance dash Wednesday. The win was the second in as many starts for Miracle Man, a son of Yankee Victor whose only previous outing came at Churchill Downs on May 8.

"He wound up with the famous Smarty Jones condylar bruise after his first race, so I just gave him time," said trainer John Hennig. "He was ready to run around Thanksgiving, but I had trouble getting him in at Churchill Downs. He had a few issues around Christmas, so I just waited until now to bring him back."

Hennig said he is undecided what will be next for Miracle Man, although didn't rule out the Swale Stakes on March 5 as a possibility.

"I'm going to just sit back, enjoy this one for now, and then look at our options," said Hennig. "The good thing is that Cornelio gave him a pretty good grade for this effort and thought he would stretch out without any problem."

Local 3-year-old stars put in works

Two of the area's top 3-year-old prospects, Straight Line and Survivalist, worked at Gulfstream on Wednesday. Straight Line went five furlongs in 1:00.80, and Survivalist breezed a half-mile in 49.20. Straight Line, on the mend after suffering a hock infection following his big win in the Iroquois Stakes, is pointing for the Swale here March 5.

Stablemates Pampered Princess and Adobe Gold, who finished first and second, only a head apart, in the Banshee Breeze Stakes earlier in the meet, continue to train forwardly at Calder for trainer Marty Wolfson. Both fillies worked Wednesday: Pampered Princess went a leisurely half-mile in 50.40, and Adobe Gold drilled the same distance in 49 seconds.

Horse disqualified after rider falls

The stewards were forced to disqualify Hail to the World from an apparent third-place finish in Wednesday's second race after jockey Leroy Nelson fell off his mount just inches before crossing the finish line of the maiden claiming event. The stewards ruled that Hail to the World did not carry the full weight assignment the entire distance of the race and placed him last.

Nelson was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital, complaining of upper arm and shoulder pain. Celtic Isle won the race, giving jockey Chantal Sutherland her first victory of the meet.