Fresh off a stakes victory with Choose Joy in Sunday's Village of Biscayne Park, owner/trainer Steve Dwoskin is hoping that Starship Nterprise can take him back in the Gulfstream Park winner's circle in Saturday's $75,000 Miss Gracie, a 7 ½-furlong turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
The daughter of Honor Code, who had gone winless in her first eight starts, has emerged as a very promising stakes performer during the Spring/Summer Meet in her last three starts.
“She's a lot like Choose Joy,” said Dwoskin, who owns Starship Nterprise with long-time client Starship Stables. “She's also a late bloomer.”
Unlike Choose Joy, strictly a turf sprinter, Starship Nterprise has done her best running going long, both on turf and dirt.
Starship Enterprise was on the board in five of her first eight starts but didn't break through until winning a $50,000 maiden claiming race at a mile on turf May 23 at Gulfstream. The Kentucky-bred 3-year-old filly came right back to pull off a 33-1 upset victory in the Martha Washington at a mile on turf. She went on to show versatility in the off-the-turf Monroe, a mile stakes in which she led late before falling a neck short of holding off Key Biscayne, who's been competitive in Grade 1 and 2 races.
“I ran her in a claimer for $50,000 and she got her confidence there,” Dwoskin said. “She's working excellent. She worked Saturday very good, and we expect her to run good. She's ready to run.”
Miguel Vasquez, who was victorious aboard Starship Nterprise in the Martha Washington the only time he has ridden her, has the call Saturday.
Karl and Cathi Glassman's Restofthestory is entered to make her turf debut in the Miss Gracie after finishing first, second or third, in seven of eight career starts on dirt. The Eddie Plesa Jr.-trained daughter of Jess's Dream, who finished second in the $400,000 FSS My Dear Girl last year, is coming off a second-place finish in the seven-furlong Azalea.
Hector Berrios has the mount on the Florida-bred filly.
Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is represented by three entrants in the Miss Gracie field – Peachtree Stable's Champagne Ivy, Sayjay Racing LLC and Greg Hall's Cultured, and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds' Tik Tok Famous.
Champagne Ivy, who finished fifth in the Martha Washington, is coming off an Aug. 6 maiden special weight score at a mile on turf; Cultured will be making her first start since finishing off the board behind Grade 1 winner Con Lima in the May 1 Honey Ryder; Tik Tok Famous finished eighth in the Martha Washington following a slow start.
Edgard Zayas, Edwin Gonzalez and Emisael Jaramillo will ride Champagne Ivy, Cultured and Tik Tok Famous, respectively.
Philip DiCosmo's Sunshine City, Stephen Screnci's Kate's Kingdom and Clap Embroidery's Frankie's Girl round out the field.
Saturday's 12-race program has a 12:20 p.m. first race post and includes six races scheduled on the turf.
Racing returns to Gulfstream Friday with a guaranteed pool in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 of $600,000.
The Rainbow 6 kicks off with the fifth race, a claiming event for 3-year-olds and up at a mile on the main track. The sequence will include three turf races, a maiden special weight event at six furlongs for 2-year-old fillies, and a $62,500 allowance optional claimer at six furlongs featuring 2020 Gotham (G3) runner-up Untitled, Hutcheson winner Willy Boi, third-place Nashua (G3) finisher Isolate, and Challenger (G3) winner Trophy Chaser, making his first start in 16 months.
First race post is 2 p.m.
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