|
|
CALDER NOTEBOOK SEPTEMBER 3, 2010 Awesome Feather & Gourmet Dinner Remain Undefeated Jacks or Better Farm's two-year-old filly AWESOME FEATHER (Awesome of Course) and Our Sugar Bear Stable's two-year-old colt GOURMET DINNER (Trippi) posted impressive victories in their respective divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes (FSS) series Saturday to highlight the $600,000 Juvenile Showcase Day program at Calder Casino & Race Course. Awesome Feather drew clear to win the seven-furlong Susan's Girl Division of the FSS by four lengths under regular rider Jeffrey Sanchez as the homebred filly extended her unbeaten record to four-for-four for trainer Stanley Gold. She will likely train up to her first try around two turns in the $350,000 My Dear Girl finale on Festival of the Sun Day, Saturday, October 16. The same Jacks or Better team sent homebred Jackson Bend (Hear No Evil) out to sweep the three "open" divisions of the FSS last year before selling a majority interest to Robert LaPenta. The colt went on to chase early Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite Eskendereya home second in both the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park and Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct, and recorded a game third in the Preakness S. (G1) at Pimlico for trainer Nick Zito. Jacks or Better owner Fred Brei was looking ahead to the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs on November 5 for Awesome Feather after the Susan's Girl. As was the case with Jackson Bend, Jacks or Better raced both the sire and dam of Awesome Feather, whose dam is the Gone West mare Precious Feather. Brei bought her as a yearling and she became a multiple stakes-winner and graded stakes-placed. Gourmet Dinner won the seven-furlong Affirmed Division by a comfortable 2 1/2 lengths with veteran jockey Sebastian Madrid aboard for trainer Peter Gulyas to remain perfect in three career starts. Our Sugar Bear Stable owner Bill Terrill co-bred the colt by Trippi with Ocala Stud, but took full ownership for $40,000 at the OBS April two-year-old sales. Veteran horseman Steve Standridge, friend and advisor to Terrill, suggested after the race that the seven-week gap between the Affirmed and the $350,000 In Reality finale going 1 1/16 miles on October 16 might be too long for Gourmet Dinner not to run. They could use the option of the $85,000 Foolish Pleasure S. at one mile and 70 yards on September 25 for him to get his first trip around two turns. Awesome Feather and Gourmet Dinner had won the $75,000 Desert Vixen Division and $75,000 Dr. Fager Division of the FSS series going six furlongs in their previous starts on August 7. Awesome Feather will bid to become just the third filly in the 29-year history of the Stallion Stakes series to sweep all three filly divisions, while Gourmet Dinner could become the eighth to win all three male divisions. Another flashy performance on the Juvenile Showcase program came in the $100,000 Lindsay Frolic S. at one mile as trainer Kathleen O'Connell sent out Gilbert Campbell's homebred two-year-old filly BLUE EYED SWEETIE (West Acre) to romp home by 6 1/4 lengths under jockey Manoel Cruz. A daughter of Campbell's home stallion West Acre, Blue Eyed Sweetie had finished second to Awesome Feather in the Desert Vixen in her previous start and her connections elected to pass on the seven-furlong Susan's Girl for the two-turn opportunity Saturday. However, the two talented young prospects appear almost certain to clash again in the My Dear Girl. HORSES TO WATCH Friday (8/27) 6TH -- I GO THROUGH (Halo's Image) appeared to be eliminated from any chance after a very slow start in his career debut, but made a big charge through the stretch for the place in a special effort for a first-time starter running for a $16,000 claiming tag. 8TH -- BLACK SCORPION (Scorpion) couldn't have run into much more trouble as the favorite in this decent field as he found traffic into the far turn and almost fell in the stretch when a rival came over sharply and he was checked severely. The three-year-old winner (Tannersville [West Acre]) was much the best and is almost certainly headed for at least an overnight stakes next. Black Scorpion moved from third to second on the stewards' disqualification. Saturday (8/28) 4TH -- GREAT SCOT (Dynaformer) is a well-bred colt out of a multiple stakes producer and didn't seem to catch on until too late as he finished fourth in his career debut at 7 1/2 furlongs, a distance perhaps short of his preference. This one definitely deserves another chance. 11TH -- BESO GRANDE (Mass Media) ran well to finish third in her third start of a promising career, but lost all chance when steadied in tight quarters in the first turn of this big step up to a $100,000 stakes as the impressive winner was sailing along near the front.
 Send this article to a friend
|
|
