Warners' presence spices up OBS Sprint

OCALA, Fla. - Six stakes offering total purses of $370,000 are carded for Monday's annual Ocala Breeders' racing festival which is held at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's racetrack. Highlighting the program are the $100,000 OBS Championship Stakes for 3-year-old males and the $100,000 Championship Stakes for 3 year-old fillies. Both races are at 1 1/16 miles.

The OBS races are non-betting events. First post will be 1:30 p.m.

While the Championship stakes will offer the richest purses, the most interesting race of the day may be the $50,000 colt division of the OBS Sprint Stakes, in which the promising 3-year-old colt Warners is expected to make his seasonal debut in a 10-horse field. Warners, a Dehere colt owned by Eugene and Laura Melnyk and trained by Todd Pletcher, started only twice as a 2-year-old, but was particularly impressive winning a maiden race at Saratoga for which he earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92. Warners was entered in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park race on Saturday's Florida Derby undercard, but was scratched, presumably with the intention of racing here. John Velazquez will ride.

Davids Expectations, second in the Grade 3 Cowdin at Belmont Park last fall, and Final Table, a Gulfstream allowance winner two starts back, should provide Warners with his sternest challenges.

In the male division of the Championship Stakes, Mountain Forum, winner of the Fabulous Frolic Stakes at Calder in November, enters off a recent allowance win at Gulfstream Park and is the horse to beat in a six-horse field. Trainer Ron Spatz has named Velazquez to ride.

Flo's Bro, a winner of two of six starts, is another top contender. In his most recent start, Flo's Bro set the pace in the Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct before tiring to finish fifth. Omar Klinger will ride.

Sixteen fillies were entered in the female leg of the Championship Stakes, but the starting field will be limited to 14. Pharmstar, with Eibar Coa up; Treasure Coast Gem, Klinger; and First Again, Pat Day, are the stakes winners in the race.

Bold World, a two-time stakes winner, heads a field of 10 3 year-old fillies in the $50,000 OBS Sprint Stakes at six furlongs. Trainer Ron Taylor has engaged Jorge Chavez to ride Bold World, who blew out five furlongs in 58 seconds over the track here while prepping for this race.

The $35,000 Florida Charities Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at five furlongs is the third race on the program and the field of eight is headed by the stakes winner Fantastic Finish, who has earnings of $278,081. Day will ride.

The $35,000 Florida Breeders' Distaff, for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles, has drawn a field of 11. Flaming Light and Alley Ball were restricted stakes winners last year, and Living on the Line finished second in this race last year.