Supah Blitz boasts super bloodlines

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Supah Blitz was bred to be a stakes winner. His sire, Mecke, was a two-time Grade 1 stakes winner of more than $2.4 million while his dam, Boots 'n Jackie, won the My Dear Girl and Golden Rod Stakes and finished third in the 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies.

So it would come as no surprise if Supah Blitz became the first 2-year-old stakes winner in the country this year with a victory over seven other juveniles in Friday's $75,000 Valid Appeal Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The Valid Appeal will be decided at three furlongs, the same distance at which Supah Blitz, Sweet Promises, and Sports Banquet all won races here earlier in the session.

Supah Blitz led throughout despite ducking in at the break to post a 1 1/2-length victory when he launched his career on March 29. He is owned by the Bee Bee Bee Stable and Jacqueline Tortora, and trained by Manny Tortora, who also trained both Mecke and Boots 'n Jackie.

"He's a real nice colt with a lot of potential," Tortora said of Supah Blitz. "He is doing well and training well."

Supah Blitz worked three furlongs in 35 seconds April 11 at Calder. The work was more than two seconds faster than the next best on the tab at the distance that morning. Gary Boulanger will again have the assignment.

Sweet Promises won the first "baby" race of the meet and did so impressively, posting a 2 1/2-length victory while winning with speed to spare. Owned and bred by the Monarch Stable, Sweet Promises is trained by Larry Pilotti and will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez.

Sports Banquet outgamed Lucky Magus by a neck to win his debut while posting the fastest three furlong clocking, 32.99 seconds, of the meet.

"He has the cut of a nice runner," said Norman Pointer, who trains Sports Banquet for the Hidden Point Farm and Donald Frazier. "He's trained well since his first start so I decided to run him back in the stakes."

Sports Banquet will be coupled in the wagering for the Valid Appeal with Viloula, the only filly in the race. Viloula finished third, beaten two lengths by Supah Blitz, in her debut, then returned to finish a troubled sixth against fillies two weeks later. She was favored in both starts. Randi Melton is named aboard Viloula.

Lucky Magus, who was outfinished in the final strides by Sports Banquet, will get a second shot in the Valid Appeal.

for Gulfstream Park entries.

Subscribers: to purchase past performances for Gulfstream Park.

Non-subscribers: to purchase past performances for Gulfstream Park.