Turf rivals tangle again in Racing Star Stakes

MIAMI - Honorable Pic and Sejm's Madness, the two premier turf sprinters in south Florida, will renew their rivalry Tuesday at Calder when heading a field of nine older horses in the $30,000-added Racing Star Stakes. The five-furlong grass race serves as the final local prep for the $100,000 Calder Turf Sprint Handicap on July 14.

Honorable Pic defeated Sejm's Madness by 1 3/4 lengths when the pair met under similar conditions in the Linear Handicap earlier this month. Honorable Pic benefited from a perfect trip that afternoon, racing along the hedge throughout, while Sejm's Madness was forced to come extremely wide with his closing bid into the stretch. The victory was the fourth in as many starts over the local course for Honorable Pic and sixth in eight tries overall on grass. Honorable Pick will carry high weight of 122 pounds, including regular rider Horacio Karamonaos, and concede from four to 12 pounds to his eight rivals.

Sejm's Madness, third behind Miner's Gamble in the 2000 Calder Turf Sprint, has been a model of consistency as well as a source of frustration for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. over the past year. In each of his last four turf sprints, he crossed the wire second, but was awarded the victory in one of those races, the Yankee Affair Stakes at Gulfstream Park, on the disqualification of Uncle Rocco.

Uncle Rocco will be among the contenders in the Racing Star along with Wertz, Justin Actor, and Sam's Concorde. Wertz was the runner-up in the 2000 Calder Turf Sprint.

Tuesday's card also features an excellent six-furlong allow ance dash for older colts and geldings that will match Callie and Jake, runaway winner of the Ponche Handicap on May 26, against four rivals, including the multiple stakes winner Thrillin Discovery, speedy Kipperscope, recent allowance winner B L's Appeal, and the consistent Sweeping Analysis.

*Precious Feather wasted little time getting back to business after winning the Born Famous Handicap last Sunday, breezing an easy half-mile in 50 seconds on Saturday. She is being pointed for the Grade 3 $400,000 Princess Rooney Handicap on July 14. Her stablemate, I Am Nifty, a recent allowance winner, turned in the best five-furlong work on Saturday's tab by covering the distance in 1:00.60 over a fast track.