Funny Cide returns; Aventura attracts 14

Dual classic winner FUNNY CIDE (Distorted Humor) will seek a measure of

redemption when he returns to the races in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector H. (G3),

one of the three stakes on the first Saturday of the 2006 Gulfstream Park

meeting. The six-furlong event shares the spotlight with the $100,000 Hal's Hope

H. (G3) and the $125,000 Aventura S. for three-year-olds.

Winner of the 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), Funny Cide was bothered by a

back injury and went winless last year, concluding his season with a sixth in

the Suburban H. (G2) in early July. The six-year-old gelding will use the Mr.

Prospector as a prep for the February 4 Donn H. (G1).

"I'd been looking around for a seven-eighths race to get him going again, but

there's no stakes or money allowance races like that," trainer Barclay Tagg

said. "(The six-furlong distance is) not ideal, but I don't want to fatigue him

too much by coming back at a mile and an eighth and knock him out for the Donn."

NIGHTMARE AFFAIR (Out of Place), winner of the Major Moran S. and Groomstick

H. in his last two starts, and FRIENDLY ISLAND (Crafty Friend), who exits a good

fourth in the Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. (G1), are among the

challengers.

The complete field, from the rail with riders and weights, is Funny Cide,

Edgar Prado, 115; SIR GREELEY (Mr. Greeley), Javier Castellano, 114; WAR FRONT (Danzig),

Jose Santos, 113; Friendly Island, John Velazquez, 116; GAFF (Maria's Mon),

Shaun Bridgmohan, 113; STORM SURGE (Storm Cat), Jerry Bailey, 113; Nightmare

Affair, Rafael Bejarano, 116; and PISGAH (Good and Tough), Roberto Alvarado Jr.,

113.

PHILANTHROPIST (Kris S.) and SEEK GOLD (Touch Gold) are the top draws for the

nine-furlong Hal's Hope. The well-bred Philanthropist made his stakes debut a

winning one in the December 10 Queens County H. (G3), boldly re-rallying for a

neck decision, and the Shug McGaughey charge will pick up the services of Prado

on Saturday. Seek Gold exits a commendable runner-up placing to stablemate

Andromeda's Hero (Fusaichi Pegasus) in the Fred W. Hooper H. (G3), and the

six-year-old will be making his third start off the layoff for trainer Nick Zito.

Philanthropist will head the post parade under a 115-pound impost. Next comes

Seek Gold, Bejarano, 114; RICARDO A (Out of Place), Eddie King Jr., 113;

ITSAWONDERFULIFE (Skip Away), Rajiv Maragh, 112; ON THIN ICE (Tactical Cat),

Bridgmohan, 114; NETWORK (Pulpit), Javier Castellano, 114; NIIGON (Unbridled),

Cornelio Velasquez, 117; WIGGINS (Cartwright), Mark Guidry, 113; and DAZZLING

DR. CEVIN (Cutlass Fax), Velazquez, 112.

The one-mile, one-turn Aventura S. kicks off the Triple Crown trail in South

Florida with a full field of 14 sophomores. Todd Pletcher will saddle the

unbeaten MY GOLDEN SONG (Unbridled's Song), who exits convincing maiden and

optional claiming wins in New York, and Zito has LITTLE CLIFF (Gulch),

who will make his stakes bow off a four-length allowance victory at Churchill

Downs.

SAINT DAIMON (Saint Ballado), who kicked clear for a 3 3/4-length decision in

the Huntington S. last time after breaking his maiden by daylight in his

previous outing, is another dangerous entrant, and ITSALLBOUTTHECHASE (Devil His

Due), who exits a smart allowance tally going two turns at Churchill, will draw

some interest. IN SUMMATION (Put It Back), winner of the Affirmed and Dr. Fager

divisions of the Florida Stallion S. series and second by a nose in the In

Reality most recently, will tackle open stakes company in the Aventura for

conditioner Frank Gomez.

From the rail, the contestants and jockeys are My Golden Song, Velazquez; BIG

LOVER (Ecton Park), Alvarado; BARCOLA (Old Trieste), Chris DeCarlo; DOCTOR

DECHERD (Louis Quatorze), Bridgmohan; Saint Daimon, Andrew Lakeman; D'BROKEN

SPEED (Broken Vow), Velasquez; CATCOMINATCHA (Tale of the Cat), Castellano;

CORINTHIAN (Pulpit), Santos; In Summation, Bailey; Itsallboutthechase, Guidry;

LAKE KERR (Precocity), Manny Aguilar; DIXIE SWINGER (Unbridled's Song), Prado;

LIQUOREUX (Carson City), Mike Smith; and Little Cliff, Bejarano.

Stakes winners Saint Daimon, Catcominatcha and In Summation all carry 120

pounds. The rest tote 116.