Wide-open renewals of Honey Ryder, English Channel

A couple of $75,000 turf stakes for 3-year-olds share the spotlight Saturday’s 12-race Gulfstream Park card, which begins at 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

There are no standouts in the English Channel, where seven colts and geldings have been entered. The Honey Ryder, where eight fillies will start, also appears to be a wide-open event. Both races are run at 1 1/16 miles.

The boys are up first in race 6, and the main protagonists in the English Channel appear to be He’s Bankable, Scrapper, and Nauti Boy.

He’s Bankable, trained by Mark Casse, is coming off a front-running win in the $100,000 Sophomore Turf for Florida-breds at Tampa Bay Downs on March 25. The 85 Beyer he received for his nose victory over March to the Arch is a career best and is tied with Nauti Boy for the best figure in the field.

Taking some of the luster off of his game effort is that March to the Arch came back to finish sixth as the favorite in a $16,000 optional-claiming race for statebreds at Gulfstream on April 20. On the positive side, Bankable should be the controlling speed, and being a half-brother to Awesome Slew, a multiple graded stakes winner with more than $1.1 million in earnings, he could have considerable upside.

He will break from post 3 with Miguel Vasquez riding.

Nauti Boy figures to move forward in his second start as a 3-year-old and first for trainer Kathy Ritvo. Last year he won the $75,000 Juvenile Turf for Florida-breds at Gulfstream Park West for trainer Lilli Kurtinecz. He is coming off a fourth-place finish for Kurtinecz in the $75,000 Cutler Bay March 31.

A half-brother to Grade 3 turf winner Jennifer Lynnette, Scrapper improved substantially when switched to turf in his third start, winning a maiden special weight race on April 7 at Gulfstream. Trained by Todd Pletcher, the son of Orb came from a stalking position to win the 7 1/2-furlong dash by 1 1/4 lengths.

In the Honey Ryder, which goes as race 11, Malibu Saint is the only entrant who has won a stakes, having come from well back to take the $75,000 Wait a While at Gulfstream Dec. 9. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Malibu Moon will appreciate the class relief and likely shape of the race after finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride at Gulfstream last time out on March 3.

She will break from post 4 with apprentice Reylu Gutierrez riding for trainer Michael Maker. In his only other mount for Maker, Gutierrez rode Susie B to an upset victory in the $75,000 Powder Break last Saturday.

Sister Sunday earned an 84 Beyer for a 4 1/4-length maiden special weight score at Tampa Bay Downs on March 10, easily the highest figure in the Honey Ryder field.

Camilla Princess, Classy Dancer, My Favorite Gift, and Legend Emma all won their last race.