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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