Grande Shores a real challenge for Gold; O'Connell happy with Scandalous Act

Grande Shores presents a constant challenge to Stanley

Gold, who has adopted a strict hands-on approach while training the

high-maintenance six-year-old son of Black Mambo.

Due to a chronic digestive condition and a history of

irascible behavior, the Jacks or Better Farm's homebred requires continuous

monitoring to be kept on track.

"It's every single day, every day. My attention is always

on him. I walk him -- I'm the only one who walks him. He's nasty. I don't want

him to hurt himself or hurt somebody else," Gold explained. "He stays on as

consistent and strict a schedule as you can manage."

In addition to being a constant challenge, the Florida-bred

sprinter has been a source of inspiration for his trainer, who is slated to

saddle him Saturday for a start in the Housebuster, one of five $75,000 sprint

stakes on Gulfstream Park's Saturday card.

"He should be dead. He was sick for so long," Gold said. "I guess that's why

he's my favorite horse, because, by all rights, he shouldn't be here."

While Grande Shores' bad-boy ways have tested his trainer,

a chronic case of colitis has been a real life-and-death battle.

A half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Jackson Bend, Grande Shores had shown ability right from the

start of his career but became afflicted with colitis. He recovered sufficiently

to return to the races, but he made it down to $8,000 claiming company at Tampa

Bay Downs in early 2013 before he began to blossom.

Grande Shores has steadily established himself as a model

of consistency in allowance, starter allowance and stakes company.

"He looks like a million dollars. He's what you'd want a

horse to look like," said Gold, who still has to pay close attention to Grande

Shores' diet. "You can see yourself in his coat. He's got a beautiful head. He's

built like a sprinter. He's short barreled, but he's strong and sound."

With nine wins and nine seconds from 33 career starts,

Grande Shores has been ridden in his last 11 starts by Edgard Zayas,

Gulfstream's leading rider, but will have Abdiel Jaen on his back in the 6

1/2-furlong Housebuster. Zayas honored a commitment to ride Mr. Baker, who

defeated Grande Shores by a half-length in a starter allowance at Gulfstream on

May 3.

"I'm disappointed that Zayas won't be on him, but he had a

commitment," Gold said. "The horse has a mind of his own. It's just easier to

ride him if you've already been on him."

Not only will Grande Shores have to contend with a new rider and rival Mr.

Baker, the bay will also face defending Housebuster winner Black Diamond Cat,

who closed from off the pace to capture the

2013 edition by a drawing off 2 1/4 lengths.

The hard-knocking seven-year-old gelding is set to make a title

defense in this year's edition. Whereas the son of Wildcat Heir entered last

year's Housebuster in peak form, he will be making his second start off a layoff

Saturday.

Black Diamond Cat, who won the Ponche two starts

prior to last year's Housebuster and followed it with a win in the Montbrook,

returned from a two-month layoff to finish third behind Mr. Baker and Grande

Shores in that May 3 starter allowance.

"I think we can build off of that. It didn't knock him out

and kind of set him up for this race," trainer Larry Bates said. "That race put

him where we wanted him."

Black Diamond Cat has been a stakes regular in South

Florida for several years, amassing earnings in excess of $475,000 for Bluestone

Thoroughbreds LLC.

"He makes getting up in the morning a whole lot easier.

I've been so fortunate in this business. We ran a lot of nice horses, more than

one person deserves," Bates said. "This horse gives you everything he's got.

He's just so honest. He's a pleasure to be around."

Gulfstream's Saturday card will also see Scandalous Act, last year's champion

two-year-old

Florida-bred filly, make her second start of the 2014 racing season in

the $75,000 Cash Run.

Gil Campbell's homebred three-year-old filly, who swept her

division of the 2013 Florida Stallion Stakes (now known at the Florida Sire

Stakes), overcame trouble to finish second in a six-furlong overnight stakes at

Calder on May 31.

"She had an inside post and didn't get out of there in the

best order. She had a horrible trip and was stuck behind a wall of horses,"

trainer Kathleen O'Connell said.

The daughter of Act of Duty, who captured the Desert Vixen,

Susan's Girl and My Dear Girl divisions by a combined 22 lengths, concluded her 2013

campaign with a distant sixth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Fillies.

"In the Breeders' Cup, she was a little unsettled in the

gate and didn't get out of there good, and it was pretty much over after that

because of the way that track is," O'Connell said. "When she was making a run

where I thought she might be fifth, a horse broke down on the turn. After that

(jockey) Eddie (Nunez) didn't push her. I was just happy she came back in one

piece.

"The boss gave her plenty of time off after that, because she had a big

campaign for a two-year-old. We had the worst travel arrangements in America to

go to the Breeders' Cup. It was a lot to ask of a two-year-old. I was proud of

her."

O'Connell couldn't be happier with Scandalous Act's

physical condition but would have appreciated a little more distance in the Cash

Run, for which she is rated second in the morning line at 3-1 behind 5-2

favorite Little Alexis.

"She's awesome. I couldn't be happier with her as far as

looks and flesh," O'Connell said. "Now that she's grown up and gotten older, I

really don't like the 6 1/2-furlong distance of the race this weekend."

Nunez has the mount aboard Scandalous Act.

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