Things look bright for Gracie Handicap favorites
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Joann’s Wildcat is coming off a third-place finish in the Sunrise Stakes, Fascinante a fourth-place effort in the Sunset Stakes. And the sun figures to be shining on one of those two in the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle after Saturday’s $60,000 Gracie Handicap for fillies and mares.
Joann’s Wildcat will try grass for the first time in the five-furlong Gracie but should handle the going, being a daughter of the highly successful turf sire Wildcat Heir. Joann’s Wildcat returned from a 14-month vacation to post a pair of impressive main-track allowance wins here this past winter but has not been able to sustain that form against much tougher stakes company in her two most recent tries. She checked home a tiring fifth behind the graded stakes types R Free Roll and Little Alexis in the Orange Blossom prior to her third-place effort in the Sunrise.
Fascinante is a proven turf sprinter, having won five of nine starts at distances of five to 5 1/2 furlongs on grass. She is winless in three tries this season, each in a stakes. Trained by Efron Loza Jr., Fascinante closed out her 2014 campaign with an impressive overnight stakes tally over the Gulfstream Park West course for her fifth win in six starts on the year.
Little Michelle returned from a long vacation April 2 with a big effort, defeating entry-level allowance company here. She’s continued to train forwardly for trainer Carlo Vaccarezza.
“She was always a quality filly,” said Vaccarezza. “She won first time out for me, and she’s just really fast.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Joann’s Wildcat (Last 3 Beyers: 77-79-88)
◗ Over the past five years, trainer Larry Pilotti is just 1 for 27 with horses making their first starts on turf and 1 for 38 with horses going dirt to turf, according to DRF Formulator.
Fascinante (Last 3 Beyers: 75-75-69)
◗ Goes postward as the 120-pound highweight, conceding one to six pounds to her seven rivals in the Gracie.
◗ She got involved in a suicidal pace duel with Catching Fireflies in the Sunset and did well to finish fourth. Catching Fireflies finished last as the 9-5 favorite.
Little Michelle (Last 3 Beyers: 72-73-44)
◗ The runner-up from her last victory, Knox County Zip, flattered the effort when returning five weeks later to win a midlevel starter-allowance dash on turf as the even-money favorite with a 75 Beyer Speed Figure.