Arindel's Lynx is scheduled to put her undefeated record on the line in Saturday's $400,000 My Dear Girl at Gulfstream Park while looking to pull off a sweep of the fillies division of the 2022 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.
The My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile fillies finale of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for juveniles sired by accredited Florida stallions, will co-headline Saturday's program with the $400,000 In Reality, the 1 1/16-mile FSS final for colts and geldings in which CSLR Racing Partners' Awesome Slew will also seek a sweep of his division.
Carlos David-trained Lynx has pounced on her competition in the stretch in all three career starts, closing strongly to win her debut before dominating her rivals in the first two legs of the FSS series, the $100,000 Desert Vixen at six furlongs and the $200,000 Susan's Girl at seven furlongs.
Lynx, the 8-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 10 fillies, drew Post 2 for her FSS sweep bid.
“We've never had the opportunity to sweep the sire stakes,” said Brian Cohen, stable manager for Arindel, whose Octane captured the final two legs of the 2021 FSS colts and geldings series after missing the first leg. “This is the leg she's meant for. She wants to go this distance. I think it sets up well – there's so much speed in the race. We're looking forward to it.”
The colts and geldings and fillies divisions have not been swept in the same year since the series' inception in 1982.
Lynx debuted May 19 in a five-furlong maiden special weight race against open company, in which she overcame traffic to score by 1 ¾ lengths going away. The daughter of Brethren got away from the starting gate slowly after a bumping incident in the Desert Vixen but recovered nicely to score by 1 ¼ lengths . There were no anxious moments in the Susan's Girl, in which she stalked the early pace before drawing clear by four lengths.
Cohen expects her Brethren bloodlines will aid Lynx in her attempt to successfully stretch-out to 1 1/16 miles.
“Most of them want to go a little further than the 4 ½-5 [furlong] early races. The family has been really good,” Cohen said. “She's shown from the beginning she wanted to go further. She's got a lot of heart.”
Edgard Zayas, who has been aboard for her victories in the first two legs, has been awarded the return mount.
Scandalous Act (2013) was the last filly to sweep her division of the FSS series. Eclipse champion Awesome Feather (2010), Aclassysassylassy (2004) and Nancy's Glitter (1997) had previously accomplished the feat.
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.'s Guardian Angel enters the My Dear Girl as a two-start maiden but is coming off a second-place finish behind Lynx in the Susan's Girl, in which she overcame bumping at the start to take the lead in the stretch, only to fall victim to Lynx's strong late surge. The Ralph Nicks-trained daughter of Jess's Dream finished third in her July 29 debut.
“We're still asking a lot of her in the third start of her career going two turns, but you only have one chance at $400,000,” Nicks said. “She ran a good seven-eighths. She's by Jess's Dream, so she should carry it the two turns.”
Guardian Angel is a half-sister to Sing Praises, who captured the 2014 FSS In Reality at 1 1/16 miles, as well as the six-furlong FSS Dr. Fager. She is also a half-sister to Spirit Wind, a multiple-stakes winner who finished second behind champion Ce Ce in the seven-furlong Princess Rooney (G2) July 2 at Gulfstream Park.
“She's done well. You always would like more time with these young horses,” Nicks said “She got started late, but she's doing well. Hopefully, she handles it fine.”
Edwin Gonzalez has the return mount aboard Guardian Angel.
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. will seek his 11th FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes success with a pair of fillies in the My Dear Girl – Laurie Plesa and Glassman Racing Inc.'s Time Passage and Richard Pletan's Dreaming in Style.
Time Passage, an impressive maiden winner in her second career start, finished fourth in the Susan's Girl after attending the pace into the stretch. The daughter of Tunwoo, a half-sister to 2021 Susan's Girl and My Dear Girl winner Outfoxed, will be equipped with blinkers for the first time in the My Dear Girl.
“I was somewhat disappointed in her last race. She had a couple of little excuses, Maybe, a couple of little excuses and the addition of blinkers will have her run a true race. She's worked well with the blinkers,” Plesa said. “She has a little bit more experience than the other filly. It's hard to separate them.”
Dreaming in Style enters the My Dear Girl off an impressive 3 ½-length debut victory at five furlongs Sept. 9.
“Under normal circumstances, you take a horse that's run only one time and breaks its maiden impressively, you run it back in an allowance race. What do you have to lose?” Plesa said. “The filly ran a big race and she galloped out really strongly in that race.”
Kevin Krigger has the mount on Dreaming in Style, who is rated at 8-1 in the morning line, while Paco Lopez is scheduled to ride Time Passage, rated third at 6-1, for the first time.
Trainer Jose Pinchin and Michael Bernard's Atomically, coming off a dazzling seven-length front-running maiden score going seven furlongs, is rated second at 4-1 in the morning line. The homebred daughter of Girvin had previously finished third behind Time Passage in her debut.
Edgar Perez has the return mount aboard Atomically.
Stonehedge LLC's Cajun Tease, who set the pace before finishing third in the Susan's Girl, will seek to carry her speed around two turns for the first time. The Michael Yates-trained daughter of Cajun Breeze had previously graduated at first asking.
Leading rider Miguel Vasquez is scheduled to ride Cajun Tease for the first time.
Harold Lerner LLC, AWC Stables and Magdalena Racing and Nehoc Stables' High Fashion Lady, who finished off the board in the Susan's Girl, enters the My Dear Girl as the only filly to win around two turns. The Kenny McPeek-trained daughter of Awesome Slew had previously broken her maiden at a mile at Colonial Downs.
Chantal Sutherland has the call on High Fashion Lady.
John Ropes' Dorth Vader, who graduated against Florida-breds in her second career start last time out; Gelfenstein Farm LLC's Marvelous Lady, a two-race maiden trained by leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., and Fihn Holdings Inc.'s Sherlyn Go Go, privately purchased and turned over to trainer Michael Maker after finishing second behind High Fashion Lady in her debut at Colonial; round out the field.
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