Three undefeated fillies face off in Old Hat

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Something will have to give when a trio of undefeated 3-year-old fillies, Frolic's Dream, Elusive Heat, and Redreamit, knock heads in Sunday's $100,000 Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The six-furlong Old Hat, which was downgraded from a Grade 2 to a Grade 3 race this year, is more than a three-horse race. The talented lineup also features the Grade 1-placed Gemswick Park and stakes-placed Casanova Move.

Frolic's Dream posted the second-highest Beyer Speed Figure among 2-year-olds in North America in 2008, a 105 that she earned for her 12 1/4-length victory in the 5 1/2-furlong Cassidy Stakes on Oct. 18. The win was the second of three tallies on the season for the homebred daughter of Smoke Glacken, who concluded her campaign by cruising to an easy 1 1/4-length win in the seven-furlong Jack O'Farrell Juvenile Stakes on Nov. 8. All three of her wins came at Calder.

"This is obviously a big step up for her, and we'll get a good idea where we stand with her after Sunday," said trainer Marty Wolfson. "She's learned to relax, but she's still very, very fast."

Elusive Heat and Redreamit will both be jumping right into graded stakes company off impressive debut wins.

Elusive Heat led throughout to post a 5 1/2-length decision as the 4-5 favorite at Belmont Park on Oct. 12. The victory earned her a Beyer of 103, second only to Frolic's Dream among 2-year-old fillies in 2008.

"It's a big step up going from a maiden win into a stakes race, but she was that fast on all the figures and I really think she might be that type of filly, so why not go for black type instead of an allowance win," said trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Redreamit has already proven she can win from off the pace. She rallied from fifth down the backstretch to a 3 3/4-length triumph despite a wide trip at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23.

Gemswick Park also has plenty of early speed and used her turn of foot to finish third in the Grade 1 Frizette and second to close out the year in the Grade 3 Tempted. Both of those races were decided at a mile.

Casanova Move also turns back in distance off a series of longer races, including a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Spinaway at Saratoga and a third in Aqueduct's seven-furlong Love Affair Stakes.