Imaginary Stables' John Guarnere took a big chance when he decided to help young trainer Elizabeth Dobles get her career started in 2016. It was a gamble that has been paying off for six years running.
Guarnere and Dobles hope to continue their highly successful association Saturday, when Don't Get Khozy headlines a strong field of fillies and mares in the $65,000 Sheer Drama at Gulfstream Park
Win or lose, Don't Get Khozy is most likely to give her backers a run for their money in the seven-furlong overnight handicap, in which the 5-year-old mare is among five entrants in the field of eight, will be eligible for a $35,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Win-Only bonus, The resilient daughter of Khozan has finished first or second in 22 of 37 starts at Gulfstream, including 11 wins and 11 second-place finishes.
The 11th local victory was accomplished in Don't Get Khozy's most recent start in the Aug. 14 Surfside, a seven-furlong overnight handicap in which five of her rivals will also return in the Sheer Drama..
“I've switched all of my horses over to Elizabeth down there. We'll always keep her [stable] full and working,” said Guarnere, whose mare was formerly trained by Antonio Sano. “Antonio did a good job with the horse. He's a real gentleman. I told Antonio. “From Day One, I've told you my main objective is Elizabeth Dobles. I have to make a couple changes.”
Racing for trainer Dobles for the first time, Imaginary Stables' mare trailed early before making a five-wide sweep on the turn and getting up late to prevail by a neck.
“The good thing about Elizabeth is she gets on the horse. She got that horse and she said, 'John, wait until you see the horse run next time.' We knew going into that stakes race that we had something good,” Guarnere said. “Did I know if we were going to win? That's questionable. I knew she was as honest as the day long. She said, 'The horse is happy and in shape.'”
Guarnere recalled the beginning of his stable's association with Dobles in 2016.
“I got in the business in 2016. I owned a house in Fort Lauderdale, but I'm a northerner from New Jersey. I was running at Saratoga and Finger Lakes with Jeremiah Englehart. Jeremiah was originally going to go to Gulfstream, but he called me and said he was going to Fair Grounds instead, but he had an assistant Elizabeth Dobles.”
Guarnere was a little wary of hiring a very young, unproven trainer, but Englehart convinced him to take a chance on Dobles.
“It's been a fabulous experience. She's honest. She competes against the big guys all day long. She holds her own. She's a well-kept secret,” said the New Jersey businessman. “In the last year or two, I've had the pleasure of going partners with horses. That got started when she had a baby a year and a half ago. I bought a $6000 claimer for her and said it was a baby gift and I would pay the bills and we'd split the purses. She won with the horse. The second time out the horse ran second and got claimed. She said, 'We've got $20,000 in the account. I like this horse, Pudding. We claimed the horse for $20,000 and we've won over $200,000.”
Dobles, who saddled Imaginary Stables and Glenn Ellis' War Story for a victory in the Harlan's Holiday (G3) and a third-place finish in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) in 2019, made her first visit to the winner's circle as a trainer with Imaginary Stables' Looks Good Oct. 20, 2016 at Gulfstream Park West.
Edgar Perez has the return mount aboard Don't Get Khozy, who has been first or second in 25 of 43 career starts overall.
Glassman Racing LLC's Restofthestory, EKB Stables' Corey, Vaccaro Racing Stable's Race Day Speed and Starship Stable's and trainer Steven Dwoskin's Starship Nala, who followed Don't Get Khozy to the finish line in he Surfside in that order, return in the Sheer Drama.
Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained Restofthestory was bumped at the start of the Surfside before making a four-wide move to take the lead in the stretch, only to be edged by Don't Get Khozy at the wire. The 4-year-old daughter of Jess's Dream, who has been in the money in 10 of 13 starts on dirt, had previously won an optional claiming allowance.
Kevin Krigger, who was aboard Restofthestory in her last two starts, has the return mount Saturday.
Peter Walder-trained Corey was the beaten favorite in the Surfside, in which she recovered from bumping with Restofthestory at the start to take the lead into the stretch, only to tire late. The 4-year-old daughter of First Samurai is another consistent filly, having been first or second in 10 of 17 starts on dirt.
Tammy Levy-trained Race Day Speed, a 10-race winner in a 31-race career, raced evenly to finish fourth in the Surfside. Her best performance came in defeat in the May 22 Musical Romance, in which she finished second behind heavily favored Spirit Wind, who went on to finish second behind champion Ce Ce in the July 2 Princess Rooney (G2).
Starship Nala, who finished a close second behind stablemate Starship Bonita in last year's Sheer Drama, came up short after reaching contention at the top of the stretch in the Surfside while coming off a three-month freshening.
Rodney Lundock's Maryquitecontrary is the lone 3-year-old filly in the Sheer Drama field. The Joe Catanese-trained daughter of First Dude has won two of her three career in addition to finishing second behind multiple-stakes winner Last Leaf in the July 16 Azalea.
Tundra Racing Stable's Frankly My Dear will seek to improve upon a seventh-place finish after bumping at the start of the Surfside. The Garry Lee-trained daughter of Jess's Dream had won three of her four prior starts.
Denise Lammers' Bio Magic, a hard-knocking daughter of Biondetti, rounds out the field
Restofthestory, Maryquitecontrary, Frankly My Dear and Bion Magic, in addition to Don't Get Khozy, are eligible for the $35,000 Win-Only bonus.
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