Florida Sire Stakes Returns in 2022

The FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes will return to Gulfstream Park with a series of races for 2-year-olds sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida from late summer through early fall.

The $100,000 Dr. Fager, a six-furlong sprint, and the $100,000 Desert Vixen, a six-furlong dash for fillies, will kick off the 2022 FSS series Aug. 6. The $200,000 Affirmed will be contested at seven-furlongs Sept. 3, the same day as the $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies. The $400,000 In Reality and the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies, the 1 1/16-mile final legs of the series, will be run Oct. 1.

The inaugural $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Gil Campbell Memorial, a mile stakes for 3-year-olds, will also be run Oct. 1.

The Florida Sire Stakes Series has produced five Eclipse Award champions: Awesome Feather (2010 Juvenile Filly), Big Drama (2010 Sprinter), Smile (1986 Sprinter), Brave Raj (1986 Juvenile Filly) and Not Surprising (1995 Sprint).

The six Florida Sire Stakes races are among 40 stakes races scheduled during the spring, summer and fall months at Gulfstream Park. The $75,000 Honey Ryder, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, and the $75,000 English Channel, a mile turf event for 3-year-olds, will kick off the stakes schedule next Saturday, followed by the $75,000 Monroe, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares, next Sunday.

The Royal Palm Meet's stakes schedule will be headlined by the $250,000 GII Princess Rooney Invitational, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, and the $100,000 GIII Smile Sprint, a six-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up, July 2 on Summit of Speed Weekend, which will also feature the $100,000 Bob Umphrey Sprint, a five-furlong dash for 3-year-olds and up on Tapeta.

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Gulfstream: My Sassenach Will Try To Double Up In $200,000 FSS Susan’s Girl

David Braddy is no stranger to success in the tradition-rich FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, far from it.

The veteran South Florida trainer saddled his fifth winner in the series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida on July 31, when Champion Equine LLC's My Sassenach scored a 9 ¼-length triumph in the $100,000 Desert Vixen at Gulfstream. My Sassenach's victory came 30 years after Braddy last enjoyed success in the six-furlong first leg of the FSS series for fillies with Mystic Obsession in 1991.

Saturday, Braddy is slated to saddle My Sassenach for the $200,000 Susan's Girl at Gulfstream in hopes of winning the seven-furlong second leg of the FSS series for fillies for the first time since scoring with Staci's Toy, who won the first two legs in 1989 before finishing second in the third leg, the My Dear Girl.

“It's nice to have a nice horse again, no question,” said Braddy, who has saddled 1055 winners during a career that commenced in 1981.

Braddy saddled Sly Rajab for a victory in the 1998 Affirmed, but his four other FSS triumphs have come with fillies.

“I do like the fillies,” Braddy said. “It just seems like they try harder. I don't know if that's right or wrong, but I do like the fillies.”

There's a lot to like about My Sassenach in Saturday's Susan's Girl. The daughter of Uncaptured broke her maiden in the Desert Vixen with the authority that would seem to make the extra furlong of the Susan's Girl well within her range.

“There's always concern. We're hoping she can do it,” Braddy said. “This is a nice filly. I think she can handle the seven-eighths, but you never know until you run the seven-eighths. She has been doing good, so hopefully she does OK.”

My Sassenach launched her career with a second-place finish in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight race, after which it was determined that she raced with an undetected lung infection. The Florida-bred filly was obviously in perfect health for the Desert Vixen, in which she rated off the early pace before she made a three-wide sweep to the lead on the turn into the homestretch and drew away for a comfortable victory.

“She came out of the race good, and she's been training good here for this next race,” Braddy said.

Miguel Vasquez has the return call aboard My Sassenach in the Susan's Girl, which will co-headline Saturday's FSS program at Gulfstream with the $200,000 Affirmed, the seven-furlong open division.

Jacks or Better Farm Inc's Rachel Rock is scheduled to make her official debut in the Susan's Girl, although she came very close to making her first start in the Desert Vixen, only to run off riderless before the race and be scratched by the stewards.

“She's a half-way first-time starter. She's been saddled; she's been with the pony; and then she decided she didn't want to participate,” Nicks said. “We've been working with her in the morning. Hopefully, her little quirks are behind her. She seems to have quite a bit of talent. It's just timing. We'd like to have a race in her early on. Pedigree wise and this-and-that, we haven't gotten started as early this year.”

The daughter of Jess's Dream came back to register a five-furlong 'bullet' workout in 59.08 seconds.

“We're just trying to figure out what causes her little moments,” Nicks said. “She's very professional and laidback in general but then something sets her off. We're trying to figure out what that is.”

Samy Camacho has the call on Rachel's Rock, whose owner/breeder, Jacks or Better Farm, has a record 19 Florida Sire Stakes victories.

Trainer Roger Laurin's Demurely, who finished a distant second behind My Sassenach following a five-wide rally in the Desert Vixen, is set to return in the Susan's Girl. The daughter of Uncaptured entered the first leg of the FSS series off an impressive debut victory May 28.

Laurin homebred Veiled Prophet, a daughter of Uncaptured who has finished second in both of her career starts, will accompany Demurely in the starting gate.

Chantal Sutherland has the return mount aboard Demurely, while Luca Panici is scheduled to ride Veiled Prophet for the first time.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC's Noble Dreamer will return in the Susan's Girl after disappointing in the Desert Vixen with a troubled-but-distant fourth-place finish as the 7-5 favorite. The daughter of Noble Bird had previously broken her maiden impressively by 7 ¼ lengths at Gulfstream June 18 after a second-place finish behind Demurely in her debut.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will also be represented in the Susan's Girl by Stefania Farms LLC's Spectacular Gal, a one-start maiden by Jess's Dream.

J.C. Diaz Jr. has the call on Noble Dreamer, while Edwin Gonzalez has been named on Spectacular Gal.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has sent LNJ Foxwoods' Outfoxed to Gulfstream for the Susan's Girl. The daughter of Valiant Minister finished a distant third in a July 15 maiden special weight race at Saratoga in her only start.

Edgard Zayas has accepted the mount aboard the Florida-bred filly, who was purchased for $360,000 at the OBS April 2-year-olds-in-training sale.

CCF Racing Stable LLC's Dear Mama Mia and trainer Daniel Pita's Devilette will enter the Susan's Girl off strong second-out maiden scores.

Carlos David-trained Dear Mama Mia, a daughter of Chitu, withstood stretch-long pressure to prevail by a neck in an Aug. 1 six-furlong maiden special weight race at Gulfstream. Romero Maragh is scheduled to ride Dear Mama Mia for the first time.

Devilette romped to a 5 ¼-length score on August 13 for Pita, who saddled Princess Secret for victories in the Susan's Girl and My Dear Girl last year. Cristian Torres has the call aboard the daughter of Khozan.

Wendell Yates and Ronald Brown's Sequin Lady, a daughter of He's Had Enough who finished a close third behind My Dear Girl in her debut; and Angel Ruiz-Lozano's Lluvia, a five-race maiden by Handsome Mike; round out the field.

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My Sassenach Draws Clear For Decisive Win In Desert Vixen At Gulfstream

Champion Equine LLC's My Sassenach swept to the lead at the top of the stretch and drew clear for a dominating 8 ¼-length victory in the $100,000 Desert Vixen while taking her veteran South Florida trainer back to the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes winner's circle following a long absence.

The Desert Vixen, a six-furlong sprint for fillies, co-headlined Saturday's 13-race program at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., with the $100,000 Dr. Fager, a six-furlong open-division dash, kicking off the 2021 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes, a tradition-rich series for juveniles sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.

My Sassenach ($21), who finished second in her July 1 debut, graduated in the Desert Vixen, giving trainer David Braddy his fifth career success in the Florida Sire Stakes series for juveniles sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.

“It's good for me. I've won these races four or five times, but not recently,” said Braddy, who enjoyed FSS success with Stacy's Toy in the 1989 Desert Vixen and Susan's Girl, Mystic Obsession in the 1991 Desert Vixen, and Sly Rajab in the 1998 Affirmed. “It's good to be back with a nice filly.”

My Sassenach broke cleanly under Miguel Vasquez to gain a prime outside stalking position behind pacesetter Rufa Red Knot, who set fractions of :22.12 for the first quarter and :45.74 for the first half-mile. My Sassenach made a three-wide sweep to pull alongside the pacesetter leaving the turn into the homestretch and continued on to score comfortably and impressively.

“I thought she was a real good filly the first time we ran her. We worked her nine days in front of the race, scoped her, and she was clean. We ran her in that race and she scoped with a lung infection,” Braddy said. “I think that cost us the first race, but we've been high on her all along.”

Demurely closed from off the pace to finish second, three-quarters of a length behind a tiring Rufa Red Knot. Noble Dreamer, the 7-5 favorite in a field of eight fillies, finished an even fourth.

My Sassenach, who was purchased for $152,000 at the OBS April sale for 2-year-olds in training, ran six furlongs in 1:12.17.

“We liked the way she breezed at the sale and we liked the way she galloped out,” said Champion Equine LLC's Michael Sucher. “We have a lot of high hopes for her.”

Florida Sire Stakes action will continue Aug. 28 with the $200,000 Susan's Girl for fillies and the $200,000 Affirmed, both slated for seven furlongs, and Sept. 25 with the $400,000 My Dear Girl for fillies and the $400,000 In Reality, both to be run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles.

“I think the seven-eighths might be all right. I'm not so sure about the long [race],” Braddy said. “We'll just have to see.”

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Impressive Debut Winner Tamiami Tops Saturday’s Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen

A1A Racing's homebred Tamiami, an impressive debut winner last month despite encountering a world of trouble at the start, will seek a smoother trip but a similar result in Saturday's $100,000 Desert Vixen Division of the Florida Sire Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The Desert Vixen for fillies and $100,000 Dr. Fager, both at six furlongs, kick off the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's annual series for 2-year-olds sired by nominated stallions standing in Florida. It continues with the $200,000 Affirmed and $200,000 Susan's Girl Aug. 29, and concludes with the $400,000 In Reality and $400,000 My Dear Girl Sept. 26.

Post time for Saturday's 11-race program is noon.

From the barn of seven-time Eclipse Award winner Todd Pletcher, Gulfstream's 14-time Championship Meet leading trainer, Tamiami carried high expectations from both her connections and the public at her June 21 unveiling, sent off as the favorite in a field of nine.

Under jockey Edgard Zayas, who returns to ride Saturday from Post 5 in a field of 10, Tamiami stumbled out of the gate and bumped with Frankly My Dear to her inside and had just one horse beat after a quarter-mile, trailing by 6 ½ lengths. She still had much to do when Zayas swung her four wide off the turn, but she came with a steady drive on the far outside to edge Frankly My Dear by a head in 1:00.71 for five furlongs.

Tamiami's sire, Rattlesnake Bridge, was also a first-out winner at Gulfstream as a 3-year-old in 2011, going on to run second in that year's Travers (G1) behind the Pletcher-trained Stay Thirsty. The filly has remained at Gulfstream since her graduation with a trio of half-mile works over the main track.

“I thought it was a gutsy first out for her. She didn't get away well and stumbled, but she closed resolutely and kept coming. She should appreciate the little bit of added distance,” Pletcher said. “I didn't give her much hope of getting up from where she started, but she's pretty determined and she's got a lot of desire. Hopefully, that'll carry over. This will be a much tougher race, but she hopefully responds.”

Also exiting an impressive debut triumph in her lone start, albeit on the turf, is Joseph Imbesi's Social Exclusion. Trained by Steve Klesaris, the bay filly became the first winner for Gulfstream track record holder Social Inclusion July 1, a race Klesaris was designed to get her to Saturday.

“We kind of had this race earmarked for her. We always thought she had the talent. She really needed to get a race into her within the time frame,” he said. “We weren't really looking for turf, but the timing came up perfect so we went ahead and ran her on the turf just to get the race into her having this race in mind.”

Social Exclusion broke running from her inside post, established the early lead and went on to a front-running 4 ¾-length win in 56.50 seconds for five furlongs. Emisael Jaramillo, aboard for the race, gets the return call from outside Post 10.

“She's always shown us ability. Certainly there was a little bit of a question mark with the turf. I did feel that she would handle it. Maybe it's not her ideal surface, but the most important thing was to give her a race and give her enough time to recover from the race and be able to train forwardly into this weekend's stake,” Klesaris said. “She's done everything correctly coming into the race. We're happy with her progress and hopefully she can take her ability to the next level. We're looking forward to it.”

Owned and trained by Daniel Pita, Princess Secret steps up into stakes company for her third start. The bay daughter of Khozan romped by four lengths, going 4 ½ furlongs in 51.94 seconds May 7 at Gulfstream, then came back to face the boys in a 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance July 5.

In that race, she took a hard bump at the start and found herself far back early but was able to settle in and come running on the outside to be a decisive second, 1 ½ lengths behind undefeated Papetu. Making the effort more remarkable, Pita said, was that she was able to perform well despite suffering a minor injury.

“Unfortunately she grabbed a quarter at the start of that race and bent a shoe, so it made it a little bit even more impressive that she ran so well against those horses,” Pita said. “She faced a good 3-year-old. She just wasn't able to catch them but Papetu seems like he can run, too. She had a little bit of a setback and missed a couple days of training after that race but it didn't end up being something to worry about. She healed beautifully. We got on top of it since the day of the race and she got back to form.”

Princess Secret had her lone work for the Desert Vixen July 25, going a half-mile in 48.80 seconds over Gulfstream's main track. Miguel Vasquez is named to ride back from Post 9.

“She showed very early in her training that she was going to be a talented filly. She's the type of horse that basically does everything right. Nothing really bothers her. She'll do whatever you ask her to, and that makes training a 2-year-old a lot easier than having one with the immaturity and things that are attached to training 2-year-olds,” Pita said. “She's very mature, she does everything the right way and she's extremely smart. It's a matter of getting her fit and letting her loose.”

Oh Deborah will make the quick 13-day turnaround for the Desert Vixen off a 3 ¼-length maiden claiming score July 19 at Gulfstream for trainer Ralph Nicks. She is one of two Stonehedge homebreds entered, along with Michael Yates-trained Go Jo Jo Go, who has one third from three starts.

“I thought she would run well,” Nicks said of Oh Deborah's debut. “It looks like a bit more ground will be good for her. She was striding out and finishing up well.”

Arindel will also be represented by a pair of homebreds, Lyrical and Freak. Fifth in her maiden special weight debut May 5 behind Princess Secret, Lyrical exits an 8 ¾-length maiden claiming romp June 26, both at Gulfstream. In her only start, Freak was third after having to steady late in a six-furlong maiden special weight July 11.

Most experienced in the field with four starts is Rolling Meadows Farm's Sophisticurl. The Ride On Curlin filly upset Frankly My Dear by a head after dueling throughout in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight July 15. Tundra Racing Stable's Frankly My Dear, by Jess's Dream, seeks her first career win following a pair of seconds.

Steve Dwoskin-trained Alluramore is entered to make her race debut in the Desert Vixen. The daughter of Gone Astray shows six works since June 20 at Gulfstream, including a five-furlong move from the gate in 1:00.50 July 25.

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