|
Grade 1 stars highlight Fort Lauderdale, Hal's Hope
 |
| Flat Out, who makes his grass debut in the Fort Lauderdale, has turf influences from his maternal family
(Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com) |
The four-year-old colt Mutual Trust took it on the chin in his final start in
France last summer in the Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, but the
Juddmonte Farms homebred appears to have sufficient class to make a significant
impact in his U.S. debut in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000
Fort Lauderdale Stakes
at Gulfstream Park.
The Fort Lauderdale, one of two Grade 3 events on the Gulfstream program,
drew an outstanding cast of 12 plus two main-track-only candidates. Among the
other marquee names are multiple Grade 1 turfer Teaks North and leading older
horse Flat Out.
Mutual Trust had crossed the wire first in all four previous starts prior to
the Prix Jacques le Marois, one of the leading mile races on the European
calendar. Despite having been disqualified from victory in the second of those
four, the dark bay rebounded to win both the Group 3 Prix Paul de Moussac and
Group 1 Prix Jean Prat in advance of the Marois. It was over Deauville's
straight mile that Andre Fabre's charge ran into a heavy dose of girl power, as
the females Immortal Verse, Goldikova and Sahpresa occupied the top three slots
at race's end. Mutual Trust, who had started at 5-1, finished more than 16
lengths behind when finishing 10th of 12.
Transferred last fall to the barn of Bill Mott, Mutual Trust should find the
males in the 1 1/16-mile Fort Lauderdale more pleasant company. He will also
receive Lasix for the first time, which suggests bleeding might have played a
major role in his poor Marois effort.
|
Teaks North ran hot and cold during the 2011 season, but did land big-time
wins in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, Grade 1 United Nations Stakes
and Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes. More of a known quantity now than 11 months ago,
when he sprung a 25-1 upset of the Gulfstream Park Turf, the gelding could still
offer value in this spot after ending last year's campaign with two unplaced
efforts.
Flat Out won or placed in four top-level events on dirt in the latter half of
2011, his most significant effort being a 2 1/4-length tally in the Grade 1
Jockey Club Gold Cup. However, the Scooter Dickey trainee had problems showing
his very best form over the Churchill Downs strip and subsequently dropped out
of contention for Eclipse Award honors in the older male category. Flat Out has
never run on grass before, but his dam was a multiple stakes winner on the
surface and his broodmare sire, Cresta Rider, captured the Prix Jean Prat in
1981.
"We've thought about trying him on turf for some time," Dickey said Wednesday
morning. "We worked him on turf at Churchill last spring and he handled it just
fine. We were deciding whether to run him in the (Grade 1) Stephen Foster or the
(Grade 2) Firecracker and decided on the Stephen Foster
"We worked him on the turf here and decided on this race for a combination of
reasons. We still want to try him on the turf and the timing is right to get to
the (Grade 1) Donn Handicap (on February 11). If we waited and ran him in the
Sunshine Millions (Classic on January 28) it would probably be too quick back to
make the Donn."
Several others in the field have won at least once at the Grade 3 level, but
might find this particular variation too testing. One who might not is Silver
Medallion, a newly-turned four-year-old who captured the Grade 3 Tropical Turf
Handicap at Calder against his elders in early December. Those Grade 3 victors
with form to find against the top four are Mambo Meister, Yummy With Butter and
Hoofit, the latter having found synthetic surfaces more agreeable since his
importation from New Zealand.
Grade 2 veteran Santiva, former Canadian champion Hollinger, and the Grade
3-placed Guys Reward are other notables in the Fort Lauderdale lineup.
 |
| Forego winner Jackson Bend developed into a leading one-turn specialist last season
(Jessie Holmes/EquiSport Photos) |
Soaring Empire is back to defend his title in the Grade 3, $100,000
Hal's
Hope Stakes over a one-turn mile on the main track, but faces a formidable foe
in Grade 1 victor Jackson Bend. The latter cleaned up at Saratoga last summer in
the James Marvin Stakes and Grade 1 Forego Stakes, then was a quality second to
Uncle Mo in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap and third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup
Sprint behind Amazombie.
Soaring Empire did not make the Breeders' Cup, though he ended his season on
a winning note in the Majestic Light Stakes at Monmouth Park on July 31. The Cam
Gambolati pupil has always fared well around one turn at Gulfstream, with
seconds in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship and Grade 2
Gulfstream Park Handicap occurring after his 1 1/4-length score in last year's
Hal's Hope.
"I think he can handle two turns now, and if he runs good in this
race and finishes, we'll likely point him for the Donn Handicap,"
Gambolati said. "He's run well off a layoff before."
|
Coming off a longer layoff than Soaring Empire is Successful Mission, who
took the Grade 3 Miami Mile on turf last April, followed by the May 21 Elkwood
Stakes at Monmouth on dirt by 7 1/4 lengths in his last start. Recent stakes
winners Decisive Moment and Will's Wildcat, and Grade 1-placed stakes-winning
veteran Sangaree, are other contenders.
Send this article to a friend
| 
