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Excessive Heat takes on the boys in Black Gold Multiple stakes victress EXCESSIVE HEAT (Bring the Heat) will take on six male rivals in Saturday's $60,000 Black Gold S., an about 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint at Fair Grounds. By far the most accomplished sophomore in the field, the Larry Rivelli speedster will tote the top weight of 122 pounds. Excessive Heat began her career with trainer Wesley Ward. The gray captured her debut in a quarter-mile dash at Santa Anita last March, and two starts later, she streaked to an allowance score at Calder. Excessive Heat was well beaten in both of her stakes attempts on the main track, but when Ward switched her to the turf in August, she found her niche. She garnered the five-furlong Georgia Juvenile Filly Turf Dash S. in front-running fashion by 4 3/4 lengths, and shortly afterward, she was purchased privately by Rivelli along with Richard Ravin. Rivelli kept her at five grassy furlongs for the Catcharisingstar S., which she duly won by 3 1/2 lengths. Next time out, Excessive Heat tried to stretch out to 1 1/16 miles in the Georgia Debutante S., an experiment that ended with her troubled eighth-place finish. Cutting back to five furlongs in a Gulfstream Park turf allowance last time out, she scored a brave victory versus males. In the Black Gold, Excessive Heat will be guided by new rider Robby Albarado as she breaks from the far outside post 7. The only other entrant with turf experience is AMAZING RESULTS (Grand Slam), who picks up the services of Julien Leparoux. The Team Block homebred broke his maiden at Hawthorne two back, and he is coming off a fifth-place effort in the 1 1/16-mile Grand Canyon H. at Churchill Downs. Amazing Results will shorten up in trip here in his first start for Richie Scherer. BEN AND THE TWIN (Storm Boot) may not mind if the Black Gold is rained off the turf. In his past two starts, the Cody Autrey pupil has chased a couple of talented sophomores from the Steve Asmussen barn, finishing third to Sok Sok (Trippi) in the Sugar Bowl S. at Fair Grounds and fourth to Carson's Legacy (Carson City) in the Dixieland S. at Oaklawn. Jamie Theriot will ride Ben and the Twin in his turf debut. NOBLE HERO (Vindication) will lead the post parade beneath Shaun Bridgmohan. Next will come NET PRESENT VALUE (Successful Appeal), Eddie Martin Jr.; Ben and the Twin; KNOTTY KNOTTY (Woodman), Miguel Mena; GENERAL G (Leestown), Ramsey Zimmerman; Amazing Results; and Excessive Heat. Except for the filly's 122-pound impost, all the others will carry 118 pounds.
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