Top three in Hollywood Wildcat have questions to answer

Tonalist’s Shape, Cheermeister, and Up in Smoke have combined to win 12 of 15 starts, including six stakes, four of which were graded. All three will have questions to answer Friday at Gulfstream Park when they headline a field of eight entered in the $75,000 Hollywood Wildcat Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles.

Tonalist’s Shape, a daughter of Tonalist trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., will try to bounce back from her first career defeat when she finished seventh as the 9-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, her first start around two turns. After going 5 for 5 in one-turn races – including victories in the Grade 3 Forward Gal and Grade 2 Davona Dale – she was a well-beaten seventh behind Swiss Skydiver in the Gulfstream Park Oaks. Swiss Skydiver came back to win the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes on May 1 at Oaklawn Park.

Joseph believes a wide trip and slow pace compromised Tonalist’s Shape, and he hasn’t given up faith that she can handle two turns.

“The only two times she got to stretch out were her two best career races,” Joseph said, referring to the Hut Hut and Davona Dale, both one-turn mile races. “I don’t think that one race changes that thought process. Pedigree says all distance.”

Joseph said the Gulfstream Park Oaks “was a tricky-run race. They had a lot of speed on paper, but the speed never developed . . . a good filly ended up on the lead.”

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Irad Ortiz Jr., aboard for the Davona Dale victory in February, is back aboard Tonalist’s Shape on Friday from post 3.

Cheermeister, a daughter of Bodemeister trained by Armando De La Cerda, makes her dirt debut after going 4 for 6 on turf with victories in the Sweetest Chant and Herecomesthebride, both Grade 3 stakes around two turns.

De La Cerda said this looks like a good spot to find out if Cheermeister can handle dirt.

“She always worked good on the dirt,” De La Cerda said. “I think she’s going to be in front. The outside is a good post first time on the dirt in case she doesn’t break good, she won’t get dirt in her face.”

Emisael Jaramillo rides Cheermeister from post 8.

Up in Smoke, a daughter of The Big Beast trained by George Weaver, is 3 for 3, all in races at six furlongs. Weaver preferred to keep Up in Smoke against 3-year-olds and try a distance of ground rather than run her against older fillies and mares in Saturday’s $75,000 Musical Romance for Florida-bred fillies and mares.

“All the jockeys who have gotten on Up in Smoke say she wants to run longer, I’m not 100 percent sure about it,” Weaver said. “Confidence wouldn’t be the right word, we just want to find out and it’ll give us some guidance for the rest of the year.”

Luis Saez rides from post 5.

Among the upset contenders is Pleasant Orb, a daughter of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb out of the champion mare Pleasant Home, winner of the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Pleasant Orb, trained by Barclay Tagg, is coming off a maiden win going a one-turn mile on March 22.

Vigilante’s Way, a recent maiden winner at Tampa Bay Downs for Shug McGaughey; Money Never Sleeps, Dream Marie, and Wanderlust complete the field.