With World of Trouble out, Soutache strong favorite for In Reality Stakes

There was one name, World of Trouble, conspicuous by its absence when entries were drawn Wednesday for the final leg of the rich Florida Sire Series, the $400,000 In Reality Stakes on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

World of Trouble was expected to vie for favoritism in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality with Soutache, creating a rematch of the seven-furlong Affirmed Stakes four weeks earlier. World of Trouble contested all the pace and edged clear in early stretch before succumbing to Soutache by a half-length in the Affirmed. It was just the second start for World of Trouble and his first since being purchased privately by owner Michael Dubb following a 14-length maiden win against $25,000 claimers three weeks earlier.

“I guess you can say World of Trouble was a victim of Hurricane Irma,” said trainer Kathleen O’Connell, who sent the son of Kantharos out to his maiden win and kept the horse in her care after Dubb purchased the colt to run in the Affirmed.

“We were worried about the horse’s safety, being stabled at [Gulfstream Park West], if the hurricane came through here,” O’Connell said. “We just weren’t comfortable about leaving him there, so Michael sent him up to Ocala and just decided to give him some time off.”

O’Connell said there always was some question about whether World of Trouble would get 1 1/16 miles, although she was confident he’d have been competitive in the In Reality.

“Do I think he’s a classic-distance horse? No,” O’Connell said. “But what I guesstimated going into the Sire Stakes is that nobody was a two-turn standout, so I thought he’d have been very competitive there.”

The In Reality will have a short field, with Soutache now the overwhelming favorite off his triumph in the Affirmed and the resulting 89 Beyer Speed Figure. His opposition will include a pair of maidens, Yeehaw and Maranatha, along with Highborn, who finished a distant fourth in the Affirmed, and Tip Sheet.

◗ Saturday’s $400,000 My Dear Girl will bring back Starship Bonita, Dessert Honey, and Go Astray, the first three finishers in the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl on Sept. 4.

Taylor’s Princess, who finished fourth while making her stakes debut earlier this month going a mile on turf at Louisiana Downs, will makes her main-track debut in the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl and is the only out-of-town shipper for either of the Stallion Series races.