HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Todd Pletcher-trained El Padrino stamped himself as a horse to watch on the road to the Kentucky Derby Saturday at Gulfstream Park with an emphatic two-length victory over a field of talented 3-year-olds in the seventh race.

The son of Pulpit ($7.20) settled in fourth under jockey Javier Castellano along the backstretch run of the 1 1/16mile allowance before kicking in through the stretch to win comfortably.

“He’s a nice colt. We thought a lot of him from Day One. He’s still figuring things out, but he’s a pretty talented horse who should continue to improve,” said Pletcher, noting that the $400,000 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream on Feb. 26 is a possible target for Lets Go Stable’s colt.

Take Charge Indy, who finished fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) in his last start, finished second after tracking early pacesetter Bartolome along the backstretch before opening a clear lead on the far turn. Argentine Tango finished another 13 ¾ lengths back in third. Casual Trick, the Gulfstream Park Derby runner-up and 9-5 favorite, faded to eighth in the field of nine.

El Padrino entered the race off a third-place finish in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct on Nov. 26 when he was beaten by less than a length by O’Prado Again.

Coglianese Photos/Gulfstream Park
El Padrino

Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes – Jan. 29 – Race 10 – Gulfstream Park – 3-year-old going 1 mile – post time: 4:45 p.m. EST

In Florida, a select group of six colts take their first major step on the Triple Crown Trail in Sunday’s Holy Bull Stakes. The one mile contest is the highly anticipated three year old debut of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Champ HANSEN.  The speedy colt will try to wire the field, but the Holy Bull contains plenty of speed to test the pretty gray colt’s mettle. 

Two contenders who will attempt to run with Hansen early are My Adonis and Silver Max. MY ADONIS (Pleasantly Perfect – Silent Justice, by Elusive Quality) a son of a Breeders’ Cup Classic hero, is the first foal out of his dam. She is a half-sister to the graded stakes winning sprinter Lakota Brave.  My Adonis doesn’t need the lead to win, but the Kelly Breen trainee has fired three consecutive bullets at Palm Meadows.

SILVER MAX (Badge of Silver – Kissin Rene, by Kissin Kris) a son of the leading third crop sire, is a half-brother to a listed stakes winner. His dam is a half-sister to the dams of Grade 1 winning sprinter Yes Its True and multiple stakes winning Kiss A Native. Silver Max jumps back to the dirt after three consecutive turf races.  He’s placed second twice over dirt.  The Dale Romans trainee has set the pace in his last four starts.

The local hope, FORT LOUDON (Awesome of Course – Lottsa Talc, by Talc) ruled South Florida with a sweep of the Stallion Stakes, but finished up nine lengths behind Hansen in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after racing wide. Fort Loudon is a half-brother to the dam of the multiple graded stakes winning miler Jackson Bend. Trained by top South Florida conditioner Stanley Gold, Fort Loudon has a versatile running style and can sit off the pace.

Algorithms and Consortium, two lightly raced, but highly regarded sons of the sensational Bernardini should make their presence known in the Holy Bull.  ALGORITHMS (Bernardini – Ava Knowsthecode, by Cryptoclearance) is a half-brother to the graded stakes winners Keyed Entry and Justin Philip as well as listed winners Successful Mission and Alex’s Allure.  Algorithms is undefeated in two starts, including a one length victory over Consortium over the gulfstream dirt in their last starts.  Algorithms worked a bullet five furlongs for the powerful Pletcher stable. 

Godolphin color bearer CONSORTIUM (Bernardini – Marietta, by Machiavellian) is the first foal out of Arlington Oaks (G3) and Iowa Oaks (G3) heroine Marietta. His second dam Minister Wife (by Deputy Minister) won the Demoiselle (G2) and his third dam Dowery (by Full Pocket) was also a stakes winner.  Consortium was game in defeat to Algorithms and adds first-time Lasix for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

SELECTIONS:

Track bias:  Pace setters/pressers have been successful 69 percent in 63 one mile events during this meet. 14 percent of the front runners wire the field.

HANSEN is the overwhelming favorite.  He could be another The Factor, run with him early at your peril. HANSEN doesn’t need to win the Holy Bull, and the race is likely a tune-up for the Fountain of Youth or Florida Derby.  Still, he’s done nothing wrong and is the class of the field.  ALGORITHMS and CONSORTIUM should benefit from the added distance and could take advantage of a softened up Hansen. FORT LOUDON is a nice horse, and can sit anywhere. If MY ADONIS and SILVER MAX are pushed early, they may not have anything left at the end.

#4  HANSEN
#2  CONSORTIUM
#6  ALGORITHMS 
#5  FORT LOUDON – longshot

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Peachtree Stable’s 3-year-old filly Sacristy has gone from strength to strength in her four career starts for trainer Wayne Catalano, winning the $100,000 Old Hat Stakes (G3) by 1¾ lengths at Gulfstream Park last out on New Year’s Day, and will likely be favored to take another step up in the $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G2) Sunday.

Jockey Kent Desormeaux has ridden Sacristy in her last three starts and will be back aboard in the seven-furlong Forward Gal. The dark bay daughter of Pulpit began her career finishing second in maiden special events at Arlington Park and Keeneland before breaking through to score by 6¾ lengths at Churchill Downs going 6½ furlongs on Nov. 10 before shipping south for the winter.

“We’re happy with the way she’s training and we’re looking forward to Sunday’s race,” Catalano said.

Rallying to finish second in the Old Hat and coming back in the Forward Gal will be Rick Shanley’s Say a Novena with jockey Elvis Trujillo in the saddle for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. The daughter of Songandaprayer posted three wins and two seconds from seven starts last year, winning stakes at MonmouthPark and Parx before a 10th-place finish from post 14 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4.

“We’re looking forward to this race’ said Plesa Thursday morning. “We know she likes the distance. She got back a little farther then we thought she would in her last race, and got some dirt kicked in her face, but we were pleased with her race. We’re going to put ‘blinkers on’ and that should keep her more focused and put her in more of a stalking position for this race.”

Also certain to attract support will be E. Paul Robsham Stable’s Broadway Alibi with jockey John Velazquez in the saddle for leading trainer Todd Pletcher. The Kentucky homebred by Vindication finished second in her debut at DelawarePark on August 20 before breaking her maiden there by seven lengths in her next start on Sept. 10. In one start since, she romped home a five-length winner of a 6½-furlong allowance here on Dec. 15.

The ‘wild card’ entry in the Forward Gal is Elaine, Richard and Bertram Klein’s Good Deed invading from New Orleans for trainer Steve Margolis with jockey Corey Lanerie along for the ride. The Kentucky homebred daughter of Broken Vow has won her last three of four career starts impressively over three different racetracks, most recently the Letelier Memorial going six furlongs at Fair Grounds on Dec. 18 by three lengths.

Completing the field for the Forward Gal are Klaravich Stables and William H. Lawrence’s Quick Flip, Rajiv Maragh; and Peras International’s Yara, Luis Saze.

Coglianese Photos/Gulfstream Park
Sacristy beats Say a Novena in the Old Hat Stakes on Jan. 1 at Gulfstream Park.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Newly crowned Eclipse Award champion Hansen breezed five furlongs Sunday morning at GulfstreamPark, completing his important preparation for a return to action in next Sunday’s $400,000 Holy Bull (G3).

The 2011 juvenile champion was clocked in 59.81 while working in company with stakes-winning stablemate Lou Brissie, who was timed in 1:00 1/5. Hansen’s work was the third fastest of 39 recorded at the distance.

“It was nothing out of character,” trainer Michael Maker said. “He worked just fine.”

Maker expressed satisfaction with Hansen’s preparation for his 2012 debut in the one-mile Holy Bull, which is expected to also include Algorithms and Consortium, the 1-2 finishers in a recent Gulfstream allowance, Fort Loudon, who swept the 2011 Florida Stallion Series, and stakes winner My Adonis.

“We’ve had no bumps in the road,” said Maker, whose 3-year-old colt completed his undefeated 2011 season with a front-running victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill Downs. “Hopefully, that trend continues”

Hansen has never been headed in three starts, including back-to-back triumphs at Turfway Park by 12¼ and 13¼ lengths leading up to his game triumph by a head over previously undefeated Union Rags in the Juvenile that clinched an Eclipse Award. Maker said Hansen’s one-dimensional and breathtaking front-running style presents no imposing challenges in his training or racing performances.

“It’s no different than a closer, you’re dependent on the pace. You just hope no one makes him go quicker earlier than he has to,” Maker said.

Hansen is Maker’s first Eclipse champion.

“It means we did something right,” he said.

Coglianese Photos
Hansen

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Howe Great capped a big week for trainer Graham Motion Saturday while leading the way in a one-two stable finish in the $100,000 Kitten’s Joy Stakes.

Motion,  whose Kentucky Derby-winning Animal Kingdom was named 2011 champion 3-year-old on Monday, was on hand at Gulfstream Park to saddle Howe Great ($11.40) for a front-running 2½ -length triumph over favored stablemate Lucky Chappy in the 1 1/16-mile turf event for 3-year-olds.

Howe Great was sent right to the lead by Edgar Prado, as stablemate Lucky Chappy settled far off the pace under Javier Castellano. Howe Great led the seven-horse field along the backstretch without pressure until meeting a two-pronged challenge by Cozzetti and Empire Builder while approaching the far turn. The son of Hat Trick fought off his early challengers on the turn into the homestretch and sprinted away to open up a clear advantage in mid-stretch.

“I talked to Edgar before the race and we agreed that if no one else wanted the lead, we’d be happy to take it, although I don’t think he’s one dimensional,” Motion said. “I knew Lucky Chappy would be up against it as he always breaks a step slow.

As Howe Great rolled on to a convincing victory, Lucky Chappy made a late run through the stretch to catch Empire Builder by three quarters of a length for second money.

“We saw the race just like everybody else did.  There was no speed on paper,” Prado said. “We went to the front, slowed it down, and the rest was history.  He had plenty left.”

Howe Great, who ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.42 in his victorious stakes debut, remained undefeated in two starts on turf. Team Valor International’s Kentucky-bred colt had a win and a second on dirt at Parx last fall before winning his 2012 and turf debut at GulfstreamPark on Dec. 15.

Lucky Chappy, who captured two of three races on turf in Italy last year before concluding his 2011 campaign with a third-place finish in the Bourbon (G3) at Keeneland and fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Churchill Downs. Team Valor International’s second-place finisher was making his 2012 debut in the Kitten’s Joy.

Team Valor International’s Animal Kingdom is being pointed toward the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 31 after a likely start at GulfstreamPark next month, and he may very well have company on the flight to the Middle East.

“It’s possible we’ll consider one of them to go to Dubai (for the UAE Derby),” Motion said. “We’ll also look at the Palm Beach here later in the meet (Mar. 11). We haven’t ruled out anything for either of them at this point (including dirt).”

Who’s Hot: Jockey Julien Leparoux captured a mid-day Bet 3 all by himself by sweeping races six through eight on the Sunday card at GulfstreamPark.  In the day’s sixth race, Leparoux scored with Godard who rallied from well back in the pack to take the nine-furlong turf event.  One race later, Leparoux guided Tarpy’s Goal to the winner’s circle.  In Race 8, Leparoux took the 1½-mile turf race with Minister Colin.  The Bet 3 on races six through eight paid $88.50 for a $1 wager.

Work of the Day: Saeed Naser Al Romaithi’s Force Freeze, runner-up to Champion Sprinter Amazombie in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 2/5 Saturday morning at Gulfstream Park for trainer Peter Walder.  The 7-year-old gelding by Forest Camp, who won MonmouthPark’s Teddy Drone and was second in Belmont’s Grade 1 Vosburgh in his only other starts in North America last year, is expected to make his 2012 debut in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Sprint Championship on Feb. 18.

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $11,463.51

Super Hi 5 Carryover: $19,443.12

Coglianese Photos
Howe Great

NEW ORLEANS, La. – A field of 13 sophomores, including a pair of late surprise entrants from multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Todd Pletcher, has been named to contest Saturday’s 67th renewal of the Grade III Lecomte Stakes for 3-year-olds possible for a Triple Crown campaign later this spring.

As the first local prep for the $1 million Grade II Louisiana Derby April 1, the $175,000 Lecomte at a mile and 70 yards is the centerpiece event among six stakes race worth $650,000 slated for Saturday’s expanded 13-race program packaged as Road to the Derby Kickoff Day Presented by Hotel Monteleone. First post is 12:10 p.m. General Admission is $5 and Clubhouse Admission is $10.

Also on tap Saturday is the Grade III Col. E. R. Bradley Handicap for older horses over the Stall-Wilson turf course, the $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes as the first leg of Fair Grounds’ sophomore filly series, the $100,000 Louisiana Handicap for older horses on the main track, the $75,000 F. W. Gaudin Memorial Stakes for older sprinters and the $75,000 Pan Zareta Stakes for older filly and mare sprinters on the grass.

As the headline attraction this weekend, the Lecomte precedes Fair Grounds’ Grade II Risen Star Stakes on Feb. 25 and that local sophomore series concludes with the Louisiana Derby on Closing Day of the New Orleans oval’s 2011-2012 Thoroughbred racing season.

Jerry Namy’s Shared Property, hero of Chicago’s Grade III Arlington-Washington Futurity last Sept. 10, has been installed as the lukewarm 4-1 choice in the Lecomte based on that performance. The altered son of Scat Daddy, conditioned by nine-time Fair Grounds’ trainer champion Tom Amoss, will be ridden by regular rider Leandro Goncalves in the Lecomte. Shared Property, who breezed a bullet half-mile in 1:15.80 last Saturday here, will be making his first start as a 3-year-old after finishing sixth in the Grade I Breeders’ Futurity  last Oct. 8 over Keeneland’s Polytrack course.

Stewart Madison, Justin Querbes III and Al Stall Jr.’s Seven Lively Sins, fourth in the Grade III Delta Jackpot in his last start Nov. 19 but second in Churchill’s Grade III Iroquois Stakes before that Oct. 30, has been pegged as the 9-2 second choice in the Lecomte early line. Fair Grounds’ defending jockey champion and current leading rider Rosie Napravnik will be astride the Al Stall Jr. trainee. The Stormy Atlantic colt breezed a half-mile in 50 flat Monday at Fair Grounds.

Stoneway Farm’s Exfactor, hero of Fair Grounds’ $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes Dec. 17 and winner of Churchill’s Grade III Bashford Manor last July 2, is the projected Lecomte third choice at 5-1. Trained by native New Orleanian Bernie Flint, Exfactor will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, Fair Grounds’ leading rider two seasons ago.

Completing the Lecomte field is the Zayat Stables’-owned coupling of Dan and Sheila and Z Dager, 6-1 with John Velazquez and Shane Sellers aboard respectively; the Raut LLC-owned entry of Adena’s Chance and Hero of Order, 20-1 with Marlon St. Julien and Iram Diego up in that order;  Steve Martin’s Ted’s Folly, 10-1, Jose Medina; Brereton Jones’ Mr. Bowling, 8-1, Robby Albarado; Robert Cartwright’s Alexander Thegreat, 30-1, John Jacinto; Terry Hamilton’s Hammers Terror, 6-1, James Graham; Bluegrass Hall’s Chalybeate Springs, 20-1, Brian Hernandez Jr.; and David Randal’s Capetown Devil, 6-1, Corey Lanerie.

Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas made the surprise supplementary nomination of Chalybeate Springs at entry time after that Dynaformer colt broke his maiden at Oaklawn Park last Saturday, and five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher called something of an audible not sending Let’s Go Stable’s El Padrino and then substituting Dan and Sheila as part of a Zayat coupling following that More Than Ready ridgling’s maiden win at first asking at Gulfstream Dec. 17.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dr. Kendall Hansen has owned horses on and off for 30 years. Over that time, his stable has consisted mostly of what he calls “nice claimers.” 

But years ago, with the hope that one day he would come across a star, Hansen began jotting down potential names and keeping them in a shoe box to be used on that special occasion.  

This past summer, however, Hansen, who operates Intervention Pain Specialists in Crestview Hills, Ky., received a phone call from trainer Mike Maker suggesting a different course of action.

“Mike called me about a horse of mine who was about to make his first start,” said Hansen, referring to his eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Hansen currently training at GulfstreamPark. “The horse was going to make his debut in about a week and needed a name. Mike said if I was ever going to name a horse after myself, this was the one, but I thought that might be a little egotistical.”

So Hansen started the search for his shoe box.

“We had just moved and I couldn’t find it,” Hansen said. “Mike had told me the horse was training like an absolute superstar so my idea was to name him absolute superstar. But Mike thought the horse should have a short name, so I looked up Kendall and Hansen with the Jockey Club. It turns out the name Hansen hadn’t been used since 1978 which, of course, is the last year a horse won the Triple Crown. The rest is history.”

It was also during his phone call with Maker, that Dr. Hansen began to get excited about his soon-to-be namesake.

“If you know Mike, you know that he’s a man of few words,” Hansen said.  “When I heard the words ‘absolute superstar’ it got my attention. Mike was around Cat Thief and Serena’s Song when they were 2-year-olds and he said he thought this horse could be in the same category as Serena’s Song. He told me he was pointing the horse to the Breeders’ Cup. When your trainer says he’s pointing your horse to the Breeders’ Cup before his first race, you have to think you have something good.”

According to Hansen, Maker also told him that his son of Tapit had incredible natural speed and was going to be a router. 

“Therefore I was a little concerned when he debuted sprinting,” Hansen said.  “I just wanted him to break cleanly.  He ended up catching a flier coming out of the gate.  After that race, I knew he’d win the Kentucky Cup Juvenile. Then it was on to the Breeders’ Cup.”

With his namesake entered in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Dr. Hansen invited 60 family members and friends to Churchill Downs.

“Going into the race, I was confident,” Hansen said. “He’d trained on the dirt in the past so I thought he’d handle that. I just wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle the class jump and control the pace.

“I was hoping for a fair start and anything over :47 for the half. When they put up :47 1/5, I thought we had a great chance. Ramon [jockey Dominguez] was able to get him to relax and then we just had to wait out the photo.”

Both human and equine Hansen came out on top in the photo.

“It was the best day of my life,” Hansen said.  “The only bad thing about it was I was wearing my lucky underwear that I wore for the Kentucky Cup Juvenile and they had shrunk since then in the wash, so I had to walk around all day with underwear that was too tight.”

Adding to the thrill of the ride with his horse is the fact that Hansen the horse was bred by Hansen the doctor.

“Back in the day I owned a filly named Stormy Sunday,” Hansen said. “She was a claiming horse, but I thought she had stakes potential. Unfortunately, she has a bad ankle.  I had dabbled in the breeding game before but there was something about Stormy Sunday so I decided to breed her to Tapit. This horse was the result.”

With the Breeders’ Cup now behind him, Dr. Hansen can sit back and think about the future for his undefeated colt.

“This horse has been such a dream,” Hansen said. “Right now, all I can think about is January 29 and the Holy Bull Stakes (G3). I’ve never been to GulfstreamPark before and we have a group of about 20 or 30 people set to make the trip.”

Another date on Hansen’s mind is January 16 – the night the 2011 Eclipse Awards are handed out.

“In my mind, we’ve already won,” said Hansen, whose namesake is a finalist for Champion 2-Year-Old. “We’re going to be involved in the six-month discussion leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Because the horse will be getting all of this recognition, I feel we’ve already won.”

“I can understand the conflict voters have with Union Rags getting a wide trip, but I think all you can do is settle it on the racetrack. That’s what races are run for. We had our share of disadvantages too. If speed and the rail were good that day, we might have won by five lengths.”

Whatever the results of the Eclipse Award voting, Dr. Hansen says he has his dream horse. And because of a lost shoe box, Hansen’s entire family is enjoying the ride.

“Many years ago, my grandfather owned a piece of the Detroit Tigers,” Hansen said.  “The family name hasn’t been in the news since then. My whole family is getting involved with this horse. He’s the horse of a lifetime.”

Coglianese Photos
Hansen

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin unleashed a pair of eye-catching 3-year-olds Saturday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack, with odds-on favorite Alpha taking the $150,000 Count Fleet by 2½ lengths and Captivating Lass coming on late to capture the $100,000 Busanda for fillies in a thrilling finish.

Carrying the colors of Godolphin Stable, Alpha raced in third, well off the rail, as Il Villano barreled into the lead and carried the field of seven sophomores through an opening quarter-mile in 24.48 seconds, a half in 49.06 and three-quarters in 1:13.91 over the fast inner track. Edging up three-wide on the turn, Alpha took aim on the front-runners and gained the lead with 220 yards to go, cruising under the wire in 1:42.83 for the mile and 70 yards and galloping out well.

“Turning for home, he responded every time I asked him,” said winning jockey Ramon Dominguez of Alpha, who was running for the first time on Lasix. “He galloped out so strong that I had to get an outrider to pull him up. You always have to go just by what you have seen, but judging by today he should be able to handle more distance.”

It was the first stakes win for the promising son of Bernardini, who had finished second to Union Rags in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont Park in October and then a disappointing 11th in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. McLaughlin indicated Alpha would continue on the New York road to the Triple Crown, which culminates with the Grade 1, $1 million Resorts World New York City Casino Wood Memorial on April 7.

“It was a great day,” said McLaughlin by telephone from Florida. “We’ll probably leave him there (in New York) … we’ll probably go to the Withers (Feb. 4) and on to the Wood with Alpha. For sure we’ll have to talk to the Godolphin people, but that’s what we’ll look at for right now.”

A six-length winner of his debut at Saratoga Race Course on September 3, Alpha doubled his career earnings to $180,000 with the Count Fleet victory and returned $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite.

Stephanoatsee, who finished seventh in the Grade 2 Remsen at Aqueduct on November 29, was second, a neck in front of Il Villano, who was followed in turn by How Do I Win, Speightscity, Whistleblower and Shkspeare Shaliyah.

In the Busanda, Captivating Lass made a steady run to defeat Sweet Seventeen, the odds-on favorite, by a neck. Content to track the clear pacesetter in second behind fractions of 24.80 and 49.69, Captivating Lass came under a drive approaching three-quarters in 1:14.36, and made up a two-length deficit in the final furlong to get up in the shade of the post.

“She seems like a grinder and it took awhile to get her going,” said winning jockey Mike Luzzi. “She’s a big, rangy thing, by A.P. Indy, and it took the whole stretch to get her going, but she responded and galloped out nice. I was impressed. For a second, Ramon [Dominguez, aboard favored Sweet Seventeen] snuck away a little bit. [Captivating Lass] didn’t have that burst of energy and speed, but if we just kept at it I thought maybe we’d grind her down.”

The Busanda was the second start in a stakes and third overall for Captivating Lass, a Darley Stable representative who broke her maiden in front-running fashion at Parx Racing on October 1 and was a troubled seventh in the Grade 2 Demoiselle on the main track at Aqueduct on November 26.

“(Captivating Lass is an) improving filly, bred very well,” said Artie Magnuson, assistant to McLaughlin, of the daughter of Folk, victorious in the 2007 UAE 1000 Guineas. “[It was a] much tougher race last time in the Demoiselle, but we were disappointed. We thought we’d run better. She was green, learning. She’s very tall, seventeen hands.”

The Busanda was Captivating Lass’ first start wearing blinkers and with Lasix, and McLaughlin said the changes proved beneficial for the filly, who ran the one-mile, 70-yard race in 1:43.74.

“Everything went well for us,” added McLaughlin.

Captivating Lass’ connections said they will decide at a later date whether they’ll keep the filly in New York or take her to Palm Meadows in Florida.

The Busanda victory, worth $60,000, lifted Captivating Lass’ earnings to $101,600. She paid $5.80 to win as the 9-5 second choice.

Lady Clara was third, with Terralba, Bourbonstreetgirl, and The Winged Venus completing the order of finish.

NYRA/Adam Coglianese
Alpha and jockey Ramon Dominguez winning the $150,000 Count Fleet at Aqueduct.

The Count Fleet, Gotham and Wood Memorial are Triple Crown prep races held in New York. Saturday, the Count Fleet Stakes kicks off the beginning of the New York Preps.  Unfortunately, the race rarely produces a Triple Crown contender. Since the inaugural running of the Count Fleet in 1975, only three horses have succeeded in a Triple Crown Race. Summing placed in the 1981 Count Fleet and won the Belmont Stakes. Prairie Bayou the 1992 Count Fleet victor, placed in the Kentucky Derby behind Sea Hero, and then won the Preakness. The last colt to star in the Triple Crown was 2004 Count Fleet hero Smarty Jones, undefeated winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Ironically, the following year, Scrappy T. won the Count Fleet and forced Afleet Alex to his knees in the Preakness. Despite the mishap, Afleet Alex still won the race while Scrappy T. finished second.

This year’s edition of the Count Fleet Stakes includes a half-brother to a Preakness winner and a couple of colts who look to rebound after disappointing runs in their respective Breeders’ Cup races.

II VILLANO (Pollard’s Vision – Do the Wekiva, by Wekiva Springs) has been a brilliant front running sprinter. He’s won his last three races by a combined 17¼ lengths, two of which were listed stakes. Il Villano‘s pedigree indicates that he should handle the additional distance.  His sire is best known for producing the top filly Blind Luck, who won against top company up to 1¼ miles. Il Villano’s damsire won graded stakes from six furlongs to 1¼ miles, including the Gulfstream Park and Suburban Handicaps. Il Villano‘s distaff family is modest. He’s the only colt and stakes winner produced by his dam. She was winless in six tries, but is a half-sister to two stakes placed runners. The pretty gray colt threw a bullet in his last work, but the Crowell barn is 0 for 4 with the sprint to route angle.

HOW DO I WIN (Corinthian – Silver Crown, by Distorted Humor) freaked in the mud against maiden claimers, then came back to dominate allowance foes next time out. The runners up in that race came back to win. How do I Win’s first crop sire was a top sprinter and his offspring are sprinter/milers. So far, he is represented by one winner past a mile.  The pretty gray colt’s dam Silver Crown is a multiple stakes winning sprinter. She’s a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Powerful Punch and stakes winner Silvery topping. The second dam Silvery Topping was also a multiple stakes winner. The Pletcher stable hits with 19 percent winners trying a route for the first time.

After getting the summer to mature, WHISTLEBLOWER  (Grand Slam – She’s a Tattletale, by Tale of the Cat) rewarded the McPeek barn with an easy win coming from off of the pace over the Aqueduct dirt. He has a miler pedigree and should handle the stretch out. Whistleblower’s unraced dam is a half-sister to Grade 3 sprinter Mining Burrah and a half-sister produced Louisiana Derby victor Wimbledon.   The McPeek barn hits with 16 percent of their sprinters stretching out.

STEPHANOATSEE (A.P. Indy – Oatsee, by Unbridled) is a classically bred half-brother to last year’s Preakness hero Shackleford. Last seen competing in the Remsen (G2), Stephanoatsee sat near the back of the pack and facing a wall of horses in front of him, was forced five wide on the final turn. He passed tired horses in the stretch and finished 4½ lengths behind the winner. The Graham Motion trainee turned in a bullet breeze in his second to last work.

ALPHA (Bernardini—Munnaya, by Nijinsky) disappointed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile after acting up in the gate. He’s a half-brother to French stakes winner Mystic Melody and to Lavender Sky, who placed in four stakes races over the lawn in California. Their dam is an English stakes router and she’s a half to two French stakes winners. This family produced Champion Fantastic Light, Multiple G1 winner Turbulent Decent, KY Oaks heroine Seaside Attraction, the top sire Cape Town and many other top runners. Alpha recorded a last out bullet for the Count Fleet Stakes.

SPEIGHTSCITY (Speightstown – My American Girl, by Quiet American) showed brilliance winning his maiden in a rarely carded 1 1/8 mile contest for two year olds this summer at Saratoga, but performed below par against graded stakes rivals in subsequent starts.  He came back with a win against lesser horses at today’s distance in his last race.  Speightscity has a speed over stamina pedigree. His sire, a Champion Sprinter, produces mainly sprinter/milers, but his sons, the aforementioned Shackleford and 2009 Count Fleet victor Haynesfield, are two who have been victorious past 1 1/16 miles. Speightscity’s damsire lends endurance. Speightscity’s half-sister won a listed sprint and his dam is multiple stakes placed. Her half sibling produced True North (G-2) winner Anew. The second dam is a G3 stakes winner at 1 1/16 miles. Speightscity fired a bullet in his last breeze.

SHKSPEARE SHALIYAH (Shakespeare – Tricky Mistress, by Clever Trick) experiments with dirt after a disappointing effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.  He has strong dirt attributes through his distaff line, but none of his first crop sire’s offspring have been victorious over dirt.  Shkspeare Shaliyah has two stakes placed half-sisters, both of whom were successful over dirt and turf.  Their dam is a half to stakes placed Barney’s Mistress, the dam of multiple turf stakes winner Deputiformer.  The Shivmangal barn is successful with 22 percent horses going from turf to dirt.

SELECTIONS:

Track bias:  Aqueduct has a noted speed bias, especially near the rail. However this week, late pace runners and stalkers won six of the 10 races carded at today’s distance. 

It’s anyone’s guess if the two confirmed speed horses, II VILLANO and HOW DO I WIN, will engage in a duel from the outset. Since they break from the first two post positions, one would think that they would be the pace setters for the race. Both own victories at Aqueduct, but II VILLANO appears the faster of the two. Unfortunately, his barn is 0 for 4 stretching out while the powerful Pletcher stable is 19 percent with that angle.  The speed up front could set it up for an off the pace runner.  SPEIGHTSCITY figures to sit behind the top two and can get first run, with ALPHA in close pursuit. STEPHANOATSEE recorded the fastest late pace figure in his last race. He owns a classy pedigree and the farther the better for him, but his grinding, one paced style may work against him over a speed favoring track. WHISTLEBLOWER and SHKSPEARE SHALIYAH own consistently improving speed figures.

#6  SPEIGHTSCITY 
#5  ALPHA
#2  HOW DO I WIN
#3  WHISTLEBLOWER – longshot pick

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Agustin Bezara capped off a career afternoon on the New Year’s Day program when he saddled Reveron for a half-length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby.

Reveron, the first stakes success and third winner of the day for his trainer, pressed the early pace before taking and desperately holding on to a narrow lead to the finish of the country’s first derby of the New Year.

“We think this he is the best 3-year-old in Florida right now,” said Bezara through a translator. “This is my first stakes win in the U.S. and the biggest day I’ve had since I came here two years ago.”

Bezara, a former training champion in his native Venezuela, currently trains five horses at nearby Calder, and three of them won Sunday, including third-race winner Mommy’s Image ($14.40) and Sweetlandofliberty ($9.40).

Reveron, who had won his two most recent starts at Calder, closely attended the pace set by 29-1 outsider Nachas and Joy on the first turn and along the backstretch in the first running of the stakes that attracted 11 newly turned 3-year-olds. Jockey Fernando Jara sent the son of Songandaprayer to the lead on the far turn and was quickly challenged by Casual Trick, who had been stalking the pace on the outside under jockey John Velazquez.

Sent to post at 8.50-1, Reveron was under pressure from the Nick Zito-trained rival through the stretch run to narrowly prevail at the wire, completing 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.74..

“I had to ask him a little bit in the first part of the race because the first turn comes up so fast,” Jara said. “After that we were in good position and my horse really performed well.  He dug in and wouldn’t let the other horse by.”

Casual Trick, who broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in his second career and most recent start, finished 5½ lengths clear of King Kid, who raced along the inside behind the pacesetter into the stretch under Corey Lanerie.

“He ran very hard but he was fighting me a little bit to pass that horse in the stretch.  The winner was more experienced than mine and my horse was still a little green today.  He just broke his maiden and was going two turns for the first time,” said Velazquez of Casual Trick’s runner-up finish. “I think he’s still learning.  He actually handled the two turns really well.  If he continues to mature and get better, I think he’s going to be very good.”

Nachas and Joy and jockey Rajiv Maragh faded to fourth, another 3-1/2 lengths back. Ancient Rome, a lukewarm 3-1 favorite, was never a factor during a 10th-place finish.

Reveron, who was purchased for $20,000 at the 2010 Keeneland September Sale, earned $60,000 for his third victory in five starts for owner Walter Stipa, who was in Venezuela on Sunday.

Bezara said plans for his Gulfstream Park Derby winner are indefinite.

“We’ll see how he comes out of it. He goes the (two-turn) distance,” Bezara said.. “We’ll consider the options.”

Next on Gulfstream Park’s stakes program for 3-year-olds is the $400,000 Holy Bull (G3) on Jan. 29.

Coglianese Photos
Reveron, blue blinkers, won’t let Casual Trick get by in the final strides.