Pomeroys Pistol leads sophomore brigade in Sugar Swirl

Though Gulfstream Park opened one month earlier than usual for its winter

meet last week, the graded stakes pickings are rather slim as they race through

December for the first time. Only two will be contested this month, the first

being Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000

Sugar Swirl Stakes for fillies and mares at

six furlongs.

A quartet of three-year-old fillies, led by Pomeroys Pistol, appear to have a

form edge over their older rivals. The Amy Tarrant-trained Pomeroys Pistol has

enjoyed a solid sophomore campaign that includes Grade 2 wins in the Forward Gal

Stakes at Gulfstream and the Gallant Bloom Handicap against her elders at

Belmont Park. Among the Florida-bred's admirable defeats were second-place

efforts in the Grade 1 Test Stakes and Grade 1 Prioress Stakes, and last time

the bay was beaten less than four lengths when fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders'

Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

Less successful in the big events of the division, Roman Treasure did manage

two impressive overnight stakes wins in New York this season and can be forgiven

a recent flop in the Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes when trying a synthetic surface

for the first time. Also exiting the Raven Run is Strike the Moon, who lost by

less than a length there after taking the lucrative Charles Town Oaks in her

previous start. The Michael Trombetta charge was thrice second against stakes

foes over the summer, including a head loss in the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks.