Michele Blanco
Calder Race Course

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Edmund Gann’s 6-year-old It’s a Bird breezed a half-mile in 49 2/5 Sunday morning at Calder Race Course in preparation for a trip to Saratoga to start in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (Grade 1) next Saturday where he and several other older horses will challenge superstar 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra.

“He flies up Tuesday and Julien Leparoux will ride,” said trainer Marty Wolfson from Saratoga.

Back home at Calder Saturday on Juvenile Showcase day, Wolfson sent out Team Valor International and Gary Barber’s 2-year-old filly Winsockie to finish third in the $150,000 Susan’s Girl Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes as a maiden in her second start and Farnsworth Farms and Kramer Stable’s 2-year-old colt Mr. Green to finish a game second to Jackson Bend in the $150,000 Affirmed Division.

“He (Mr. Green) ran well but just can’t beat that horse (Jackson Bend),” said Wolfson. “I think I’ve got another one that will like the longer distances and will point for the ($400,000) In Reality (Oct. 17) – Thank U Philippe, who broke his maiden last weekend.”

Kramer Stables and William Rosenfeld’s Thank U Philippe rallied from off the pace to score by a half-length last Saturday going seven furlongs after a fourth in his debut and two seconds going shorter distances. Thank U Philippe is a son of freshman stallion Proud Accolade as is Mr. Green.

Wolfson’s busy weekend also includes another stakes-runner in action Sunday afternoon with Farnsworth’s 5-year-old mare Jessica Is Back running in the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Handicap (Grade 2) at MonmouthPark. The daughter of Put It Back was a 5½ lengths winner of the $75,000 Nancy’s Glitter Handicap last out at Calder over a ‘sloppy’ track on July 25.

WHITE & O’CONNELL WIN TWO EACH ON JUVENILE SHOWCASE PROGRAM

Trainers Bill White and Kathleen O’Connell each sent out a pair of 2-year-old winners on Saturday’s $700,000 Juvenile Showcase program at Calder Race Course and each won one of the six stakes on the unique card of 13 2-year-old races.

White’s stakes win came with James and Virginia Gamble’s homebred filly Gator Brew in the $85,500 Lindsay Frolic Stakes going one mile in a tense three-way photo-finish and after surviving a jockey’s claim of foul. A daughter of Milwaukee Brew, Gator Brew went into the race as a maiden after finishing third in her debut sprinting two weeks before on Aug. 15.

O’Connell’s stakes victory came with Gilbert Campbell’s homebred gelding Wave Me By in the $100,000 Seacliff Stakes going one mile, a race she won last year with Campbell’s This Ones for Phil and in 2003 with Campbell’s Tap Dancer. Wave Me By is a son of Untuttable, sire of This Ones for Phil, and went into the Seacliff after breaking his maiden for a $32,000 claiming tag last out on Aug. 9 in his third start.

White’s double extended his lead in the trainers’ standings to three with 30 victories, three more than closest rival Marty Wolfson second with 27. O’Connell’s two tallies moved her into fourth-place with 20 wins. White has won Calder Meet championships 10 times previously, most recently in 2006.

Leading jockey Manoel Cruz got shut out on a frustrating day that included three seconds, two in stakes race photos, most notably when Jacqueline Tortora and Richard and Toni Ancona’s filly Sweetlalabye fell a neck short of catching Angel Quiroz’ front-running Rosebud’s Ridge by a neck at the wire in the $150,000 Susan’s Girl Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes.

Cruz remains clear atop the riders’ leader board with 135 victories, more than double his closest rival Jeffrey Sanchez second with 66, three of them on Saturday. Sanchez’ biggest victory came aboard Jacks or Better Farms’ homebred colt Jackson Bend in the $150,000 Affirmed Division of the FSS.