Leon King Stable Corp.'s Bentornato will likely be a prohibitive favorite in Saturday's $300,000 In Reality at Gulfstream Park on the strength of an undefeated record with three consecutive stakes victories.
Yet, the Jose D'Angelo trained son of Valiant Minister will still have much to prove in his bid to sweep the 2023 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes final for 2-year-old colts and geldings sired by accredited Florida stallions.
As dominant as he has been thus far in his highly promising career, Bentornato, who seeks to become the 11th juvenile to sweep the colt and gelding division, has yet to prove himself around two turns.
The In Reality will be contested at the two-turn distance of 1 1/16 miles, as will the $300,000 My Dear Girl, the FSS finale for fillies sired by accredited Florida stallions, on the opening weekend of the 2023-2024 Championship Meet at Gulfstream.
“He's a fast horse. I know he will be on the lead. I think we did everything for the horse to go the distance,” D'Angelo said. “The horse is very talented. We're going to be fine there.”
After rallying for a narrow debut victory at five furlongs July 1, Bentornato overcame early bumping to register an eye-catching 4¼-length front-running score in the six-furlong Proud Man Aug. 12. He came right back with a dominating 7½-length front-running win in the six-furlong FSS Dr. Fager before scoring by 2¾ lengths in the seven-furlong Affirmed.
“We've gotten him to relax, and the horse has responded,” D'Angelo said. “He's very good running like you want. He's learned so fast.”
His performance around two turns Saturday will likely decide the immediate future of the $170,000 purchase at the OBS March sale.
“I think this horse will make his future,” said D'Angelo, who ventured from Venezuela in 2017 and experienced much high-profile success in 2020-2021 with multiple graded stakes-placed Jesus' Team. “If he responds the way we think, we can point him to the Florida Derby (G1) and the [Kentucky] Derby (G1).”
Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Bentornato, who is stabled at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.
Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and Harlow Stables LLC's Mattingly, runner-up in the Affirmed, has been entered for a rematch with Bentornato in the In Reality. Like the D'Angelo trainee, Mattingly will try two turns for the first time Saturday.
“I think he has a level head and he's rateable,” trainer Joe Orseno said. “I think he'll be fine going two turns.”
Gulfstream-based Mattingly turned in a solid dirt debut in the Affirmed after running once on turf – a second-place finish in the Royal Palm Juvenile in his career debut at Gulfstream– and three times on Tapeta – a stakes victory in the Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream, a runner-up finish in a Woodbine stakes, as well as a maiden score at Gulfstream.
Mattingly rallied from fifth to grab second place in the Affirmed with a less-than-ideal trip.
“I thought he would handle [dirt], but you never know,” Orseno said. “He didn't get the best trip. He got stopped and lost some momentum. He had to take up and get going again. He was coming on again. I am pretty excited about the race coming up.”
Edgard Zayas, who captured the Sunshine Meet riding title by a margin of 21 wins over his closest rival, is named to ride the son of Bucchero for the first time.
Just For Fun Stable Inc.'s Brawn brings open-stakes experience into the In Reality. The Ruben Sierra-trained son of Neolithic won his debut in August before turning in fourth-place finishes in both the Oct. 1 Aventura and Nov. 4 Armed Forces.
Leonel Reyes has the call on Brawn, who gained two-turn experience in the Armed Forces, a mile-and-70-yard stakes on Tapeta.
Secret Lover (Joe Bravo), Lasso (Luca Panici), Seminole Chief (Paco Lopez) and Cajun Fool (Miguel Vasquez) round out the field.
Two Turns 'The Difference Maker' In My Dear Girl
After Honey Dijon's second-place finish behind R Harper Rose last time out, trainer Joe Sharp knows only too well the challenge his filly will face in the $300,000 My Dear Girl.
Averill Racing LLC and Two Eight Racing LLC's R Harper Rose will bring an undefeated record, including a four-length triumph over Honey Dijon in the $200,000 Susan's Girl, into the My Dear Girl, the 1 1/16-mile final of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.
Neither R Harper Rose nor Honey Dijon have raced beyond seven furlongs and will attempt to successfully negotiate two turns for the first time in the My Dear Girl.
“I think the two turns will be the difference maker one way or the other,” Sharp said.
Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained R Harper Rose is undefeated in her three career starts that she has won by a combined 16 lengths. The daughter of Khozan won at first asking by 6¼ lengths before capturing a 5½-furlong optional claiming allowance by 5¾ lengths. After missing the first leg of the FSS series with a fever, R Harper Rose romped to victory in the seven-furlong Susan's Girl.
Can the lightning-fast R Harper Rose carry her impressive speed around two turns?
“She's never done it. She'll have to do it first,” Joseph said. “I think she has enough class. I was more afraid of the seven furlongs than the mile and a sixteenth, but you still have to go out and do it. It's a different kind of tempo. Seven-eighths is harder. The two turns here are kinder. I think she'll get it.”
Edgard Zayas has the return mount aboard R Harper Rose, who will expand her options with a two-turn victory.
“We haven't thought beyond this race. This race is important for her, so let's get through this one,” Joseph said. “I think she's a filly that could become a graded stakes type.”
Joseph, who tied with Victor Barboza Jr. for the Sunshine Meet Crown Saturday, will also be represented in the My Dear Girl by Calypso Racing Stables LLC's Pardy Pleaser (Rocco Bowen), who has won one of four races all on Tapeta.
Sharp has reason to believe that Brad Grady's Honey Dijon will give it her best shot against R. Harper Rose in her two-turn debut.
“She's a filly that every time we've raised the bar, she's stepped forward,” Sharp said.
Honey Dijon broke her maiden in her second career start by 5¾ lengths in a 5 ½-furlong off-the-turf maiden special weight test at Saratoga Aug. 10. She went on to finish sixth, beaten by 2 ¾ lengths in the Untapable Stakes over the Kentucky Downs turf course Sept. 9 before returning to dirt in the Susan's Girl.
“It seemed like last time sprinting she was wanting a little more ground. She was well in front of the rest of the field. Saffie's horse, obviously, is super talented,” Sharp said.
“Everything about her says [Honey Dijon] will stretch out,” Sharp added. “I'm looking forward to seeing what she has going two turns.”
Paco Lopez will ride the daughter of Girvin for the first time Saturday.
Dancing N Dixie, campaigned by Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Rocky Top Stable and LEMB Stable LLC, will bring the distinction of being the only filly with two-turn experience into the My Dear Girl. Trained by Mark Casse, the daughter of Neolithic has won both of her two-turn races at a mile and 70 yards, including a 3¾-length maiden score and a half-length triumph in the Nov. 4 Our Dear Peggy. Both races were contested over Gulfstream's Tapeta course.
Dancing N Dixie was fourth and a distant fifth in her two prior starts while sprinting on dirt.
Miguel Vasquez has the return call on Dancing N Dixie.
Jacks or Better Farm Inc.'s Fields of Green (Leonel Reyes) and BC Racing LLC's Haunted (Emisael Jaramillo), who finished third and fourth in the Susan's Girl, are scheduled to return in the My Dear Girl.
Alex and JoAnn Lieblong's Unrelentless (Joe Bravo), and Gelfenstein Farm LLC's Reina Mar (Angel Morales) round out the field.
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