Turf Star finds much easier spot in Showing Up Stakes
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Three losses in graded and seven-figure stakes in the summer yielded little for Turf Star, who has a significantly easier task in Saturday’s $75,000 Showing Up Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Turf Star, trained by Graham Motion for Calumet Farm, won the James Murphy Stakes for 3-year-olds on turf on May 16 at Laurel but was overmatched in the Grade 1 Belmont Derby, Grade 2 Secretariat Stakes at Colonial Downs, and $1.7 million Gun Runner Stakes at Kentucky Downs. His best finish was a fifth by 2 1/2 lengths in the Secretariat.
The Showing Up Stakes, for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on turf, offers a chance for a third career stakes win for Turf Star in a race that could develop in his favor.
Turf Star runs as a closer and can track what should be a good pace from Redlands Rebel and Trelawny, both winners of their last starts.
Redlands Rebel won an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic track Oct. 11 at Gulfstream Park by leading throughout. Trelawny dueled on the lead throughout the Bear’s Den Stakes at a mile and 70 yards on the synthetic track on Aug. 29, winning by a head. Trelawny won an allowance race at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf in July by racing near the front.
The most significant threat to Turf Star is High Lateen, a closer trained by David Fawkes. High Lateen was claimed for $35,000 from a sixth-place finish in his debut in May. High Lateen was gelded after that race and is unbeaten in three subsequent starts, a $35,000 claimer for maidens and two allowance races.
In each race, High Lateen stalked the pace and reached the front in the final furlong.
Armed Forces Stakes
Heracles can win for the second time in his fourth start in Saturday’s $75,000 Armed Forced Stakes for 2-year-olds at a mile on turf after recent losses outside of Florida.
Heracles, trained by Ron Spatz, has kept good company in defeat. He was third after repeated traffic problems in the Kitten’s Joy Stakes on Sept. 7 at Colonial Downs and ninth of 10 in the Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes on Oct. 4 at Keeneland.
The winners of those races – Popcorn and Agate – were entered in Friday’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland.
Heracles, who won his debut in a maiden race at 7 1/2 furlongs on July 4 at Gulfstream Park, is part of a field of nine in the Armed Forces that includes recent maiden race winners Mitzman and Palingo.
Mitzman is a half-brother to Mylute, who was third in the Preakness Stakes in 2013. The Armed Forces is his first start on turf.
Palingo was third to Heracles on July 4 and later won a maiden race at a mile and 70 yards on Aug. 30.
There will be support for Lord Henry, winner of a maiden race for Florida-breds at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf in August.
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