Strong Contender, Sweetnorthernsaint will kick off season in Hal's Hope

Strong Contender, Sweetnorthernsaint will kick off season

in Hal's Hope

Sweetnorthernsaint seeks his third straight win in the Hal's Hope (Jim Tyrrell/Horsephotos.com) Grade 2 winners STRONG CONTENDER (Maria's Mon) and SWEETNORTHERNSAINT (Sweetsouthernsaint) highlight a field of 13 older horses entered to Saturday's $100,000 Hal's Hope H. (G3), one of three stakes races on the first Saturday program at Gulfstream Park. Cut back in distance from nine furlongs to a one-turn mile in 2007, the Hal's Hope will share the spotlight on Saturday with the six-furlong Mr. Prospector H. (G3) and the grassy Ft. Lauderdale S. Strong Contender will vie for favoritism in his first start since capturing the Super Derby (G2) in late September. Trained by John Ward Jr., the chestnut colt also won the Dwyer S. (G2) last year and placed in the Haskell Invitational S. (G1), Blue Grass S. (G1) and Peter Pan S. (G2). Edgar Prado will ride the 120-pound co-highweight. Illinois Derby (G2) victor Sweetnorthernsaint will also tote 120 pounds. Seventh as the favorite in the Kentucky Derby (G1), the Michael Trombetta-trained gelding followed that effort with a runner-up placing in the Preakness S. (G1) but wasn't seen again under silks until mid-October, winning an allowance/optional claiming event at Laurel Park. Sweetnorthernsaint will enter the Hal's Hope off an 8 1/4-length score in the November 11 Odessa S. at Delaware Park, and Ramon Dominguez will be in the saddle.

The one-mile distance is a good fit for Grade 3 winner SIR GREELEY (Mr.

Greeley), and REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit) must also be respected. Unbeaten in two

starts at eight furlongs, Rehoboth will enter the Hal's Hope in sharp form,

winning the Carl G. Rose Classic H. two back and finishing second in the Fred W.

Hooper H. (G3) most recently. CHATAIN (Forest Wildcat) will spot his rivals

experience, but the Angel Penna Jr. charge easily captured his career debut

going a mile at Gulfstream Park last February and then finished second to

Showing Up (Strategic Mission) in a one-mile allowance over the track. The

thrice-raced colt returned from a lengthy freshening to post a 10-length

allowance win at Meadowlands last time out.

INDY WIND (A.P. Indy), a 3 1/4-length winner of the Alysheba S. in his last

appearance, will lead the post parade under a 114-pound impost that includes

Rosemary Homeister Jr. Next comes REXSON'S ROSE (Suave Prospect), Rajiv Maragh,

112; Sweetnorthernsaint; YES YES YES (Yes It's True), Chris DeCarlo, 113;

Chatain, Cornelio Velasquez, 112; Strong Contender; ISTAN (Gone West), Joe

Bravo, 113; Rehoboth, Manoel Cruz, 116; Sir Greeley, John Velazquez, 118;

ECCLESIASTIC (Pulpit), Eddie Castro, 113; BIG LOVER (Ecton Park), Javier

Castellano, 114; CARROTS ONLY (Defrere), Tom Turner, 114; and EDENWOLD (Southern

Halo), Rafael Bejarano, 115.

Ecclesiastic is also cross-entered to the Ft. Lauderdale.

WEIGELIA (Safely's Mark), a 4 1/4-length conqueror of the Kenny Noe Jr. H.

(G3) in his last appearance, is the 119-pound highweight over seven rivals in

the $100,000 Mr. Prospector. The six-year-old set a course record at Belmont

Park last June when turning six grassy furlongs in 1:07, but Weigelia has done

much more damage on dirt, recording seven stakes tallies on the main track.

Trombetta will give a leg up to Dominguez on the bay horse.

Multiple Grade 3 winner KELLY'S LANDING (Patton) is a logical contender, and

SLAM BAMMY (Grand Slam) will bring a two-race, stakes-winning skein into the

six-furlong event. Stakes winners PARADISE DANCER (Langfuhr) and MACH RIDE (Pentelicus)

are also in the mix, and HIGH FINANCE (Talk Is Money), BLAZING PURRSUIT (Tale of

the Cat) and HITHER LANE (Mr. Greeley) round out the field.

A full field of 12 turf runners is set for the $100,000

Ft.

Lauderdale, and SAINT STEPHEN (Saint Ballado) looks formidable off his

victory in the Native Diver H. (G3) at Hollywood Park. The Christophe Clement

pupil has captured his last two starts over stakes rivals, and Velazquez will

pick up the mount. BALLAST (Ire) (Desert Prince [Ire]) will attract support off

his comfortable score in the Tropical Turf H. (G3) at Calder in early December,

and DREADNAUGHT (Lac Ouimet) brings plenty of back class into the 1 1/16-mile

affair. Trained by Thomas Voss, Dreadnaught finished a close second in both the

Bernard Baruch H. (G2) and Dixie S. (G2) last season, and the seven-year-old

gelding exits a solid third, beaten only a half-length, in the Laurel Turf Cup

S. in late November.