HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – With a race under her belt, a little added distance, and a five-pound shift in the weights, Dreaming of Julia may be poised to turn the tables on Live Lively when the two meet again in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Oaks at Gulfstream Park.
Trouble is, the Gulfstream Oaks is not strictly a two-horse race. Emollient and Cue the Moon have bright futures, and Kimberly Jean and Original Script are not without a chance.
Chad Keller has been named Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing secretary at Prairie Meadows.
Keller has worked in the Prairie Meadows racing office since 2000 and in 2006 was promoted to assistant Thoroughbred racing secretary. Keller has been the Quarter Horse racing secretary at Prairie Meadows since 2008.
The 67-day Prairie Meadows meet begins April 19 and runs through Aug. 10. It will be followed by a 26-day Quarter Horse meet that opens Aug. 17.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Tom Albertrani will be hard-pressed to top last weekend when he had Twilight Eclipse set a world record in the Pan American here and watched Big Screen run off the screen at Aqueduct.
Saturday, he will try to keep the ball rolling when he sends out European import Anjaz in the Grade 3, $150,000 Orchid for fillies and mares at 1 1/2 miles.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Silver Max, who at one point last year won six consecutive races, makes his 4-year-old debut in a seemingly wide open renewal of the Grade 3 Appleton Stakes at a mile.
Silver Max, trained by Dale Romans, won at distances ranging from a mile to 1 1/4 miles last year including the Grade 2 Virginia Derby. He has not run since finishing ninth behind Horse of the Year Wise Dan in the Shadwell Turf Mile.
Silver Max, who has been working bullets over Gulfstream’s turf course, will break from post 7 in the 12-horse field under Robby Albarado.
The home-and-home series between new rivals Graydar and Bourbon Courage comes to New Orleans when the 4-year-old colts square off again Saturday in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap, one of three highly intriguing Grade 2 races on the Louisiana Derby undercard at Fair Grounds.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Despite his status as last year’s Florida Derby winner, Take Charge Indy does not figure to be favored in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Skip Away Stakes at 1 3/16 miles, which drew a contentious field of 10.
Take Charge Indy is winless in four races since the Florida Derby, most recently finishing third, eight lengths behind Graydar in the Grade 1 Donn Handicap here on Feb. 9.
Take Charge Indy, who will break from post 8 under Rosie Napravnik, will take on the rapidly improving Cigar Street, who has won two allowance races here this meet.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Itsmyluckyday won’t be the only horse Eddie Plesa runs Saturday in search of a third consecutive stakes victory at this meet.
Approximately 4 1/2 hours before Itsmyluckyday runs in the $1 million Florida Derby, Plesa will send out Successful Song in the Grade 3, $150,000 Rampart Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles.
Successful Song, a 6-year-old daughter of Successful Appeal, won the Ocala Stakes and the Sunshine Millions Distaff earlier this meet.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - On Fire Baby is to launch her 4-year-old season in the Grade 1, $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap next month at Oaklawn, trainer Gary Hartlage said Wednesday. The 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares is April 12.
“The next step is the Apple Blossom,” Hartlage said.
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Live Lively and Dreaming of Julia, the 1-2 finishers in last month’s Grade 2 Davona Dale, renew their budding rivalry in Saturday’s Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Oaks, one of six stakes on the Florida Derby undercard at Gulfstream Park.
Live Lively used her advantage as the lone speed to upset the Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia in the Davona Dale, her third consecutive victory since having a chip removed from an ankle following her debut last June.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Ile St. Molly should be able to adapt to whatever pace scenario unfolds on Friday when she seeks the second stakes win of her career in the $60,000 Rainbow Miss at Oaklawn.
Ile St. Molly has the speed to set the tempo in the six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies bred in Arkansas, but could also stalk the pace under jockey Robby Albarado.
