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Weekend Lineup: Trio Of Eclipse Award Winners Back In Action

Three Eclipse Award winners will be in action this weekend with reigning juvenile male champion Essential Quality – the top-ranked horse on the NTRA Top Three-Year-Old Thoroughbred Poll – headlining the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, champion 2-year-old filly Vequist making her seasonal bow in the Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and champion older dirt female Monomoy Girl getting her 6-year-old campaign started in Sunday's Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn. In addition, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Fire At Will is set to be part of the field of 10 in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes, which will anchor Saturday's 14-race program with nine stakes at Gulfstream Park.

America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air eight total hours of live racing coverage this weekend encompassing action from Aqueduct Racetrack, Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast from 2-7 p.m. ET on Saturday on FS2, while Sunday will feature coverage on FS2 from 4-5 p.m. with FS1 airing the program from 5-7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 27

12:26 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

We Got This Stables' I Get It will go for her first graded-stakes victory in Saturday's Herecomesthebride, a 1 1/16-miles turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies. I Get It has won four of her last five starts by a combined 14 ¾ lengths in going-away fashion while demonstrating an explosive late kick and a distinct fondness for the Gulfstream turf course. She broke through with a five-length maiden victory while not being equipped with the blinkers she wore in her first two unsuccessful starts. She came right back to capture a pair of optional claiming allowances at Gulfstream Park West before lacking her usual late kick in a fourth-place finish in the Jan. 2 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream. She bounced back with a sharp three-length optional claiming allowance score in her most recent start.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA3-EQB.html

12:55 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

It's all about threes when trainer Mike Maker sends out the trio of Aquaphobia, Temple and Tide of the Sea in search of a third consecutive victory in Saturday's 1 3/8-miles Mac Diarmida for older turf horses. Aquaphobia became a Grade 1 winner in last summer's United Nations at Monmouth, coming five starts since being claimed for $62,500 last winter at Gulfstream and run at the Mac Diarmida distance. This will be the seventh consecutive race facing graded company for Aquaphobia, who exits an eighth-place finish in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA4-EQB.html

2:53 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Canadian Turf Stakes at Gulfstream Park on FS2 and TVG

After two uncharacteristic off-the-board performances, Fancy Liquor steps right back into graded stakes company Saturday in the 54th running of Canadian Turf Stakes. Fancy Liquor, bred and owned by Louisville Ky.-based Skychai Racing and partners, had a very good 3-year-old season in 2020 for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Lookin at Lucky won three of eight starts – topped by a victory in the Grade 2 American Turf – and earned $497,187. His run of seven-straight in-the-money finishes to begin his career ended with a fifth in the Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream. In his most recent start, he was sixth in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA8-EQB.html

3:27 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes at Gulfstream Park on FS2 and TVG

Phipps Stable and Claiborne Farm's Performer, who captured the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper, will seek to produce an encore performance in Saturday's Gulfstream Park Mile. Trained by Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey, the 5-year-old son of Speightstown is slated to top a field of seven older horses in the one-turn mile event. Joel Rosario worked out a winning trip aboard Performer after breaking from the rail post position in the Hooper, also run at a one-turn mile. Pinned down on the rail along the backstretch, Performer was swung to the outside on the turn into the homestretch and out-battled Eye of a Jedi to the wire to win by a neck.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA9-EQB.html

4:20 p.m.—$600,000 Grade 3 Razorback Handicap at Oaklawn Park on FS2 and TVG

Multiple graded stakes winner Owendale aims to halt a five-race skid when he faces six challengers in the 1 1/16-miles Razorback. Trained by Brad Cox, Owendale hasn't visited the winner's circle since taking the Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs last May 23 but did finish third last time out in the Grade 1 Clark Stakes on Nov. 27. Among the top challengers the son of Into Mischief is set to face is Mystic Guide, winner of the Grade 2 Jim Dandy Stakes last year and runner-up in the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup last October.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP022721USA7-EQB.html

4:29 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Honey Fox Stakes at Gulfstream Park on FS2 and TVG

Grade 1 winner Got Stormy will begin her fifth and final season of racing Saturday in the one-mile Honey Fox for fillies and mares 4 and up. Got Stormy will be returning to Gulfstream for the first time since winning an optional claiming allowance in March 2019. It is where the daughter of Grade 3 turf-winning mare Malabar Gold broke her maiden in her third lifetime start in February 2018. Given a freshening following her fifth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 7, Get Stormy joined trainer Mark Casse's string at Palm Meadows, where she has breezed five times since mid-January.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA11-EQB.html

5:04 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Davona Dale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on FS2 and TVG

Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and Swilcan Stable's Vequist, the champion 2-year-old filly of 2020, is set to launch her highly anticipated sophomore season against 11 rivals in Saturday's Davona Dale. Vequist, the 7-5 favorite in the Davona Dale, was the first champion for her trainer, Parx-based veteran Robert E. 'Butch' Reid Jr., who is approaching his 800th victory in a career that began in 1985. Vequist will be cutting back for her first race since a two-length victory in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 6 at Keeneland, a span of 114 days.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA12-EQB.html

5:36 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 The Very One Stakes at Gulfstream Park on FS2 and TVG

Heavenly Curlin, already a graded stakes winner on Woodbine's synthetic surface, will have another test on grass Saturday in the The Very One Stakes. Though her pedigree suggests that she ought to fancy turf, Gary Barber and John Oxley's 4-year-old filly, a $625,000 yearling purchase, is winless in her two tries on the surface, both at Gulfstream. In her most recent start, she was fifth in the Grade 3, 1 ½ miles La Prevayonte on Jan. 23. She will cut back in distance in The Very One to 1 3/16-miles.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA13-EQB.html

5:58 p.m.—$750,000 Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on FS2 and TVG

Godolphin's unbeaten homebred Essential Quality will be making his first start since clinching an Eclipse Award as the country's champion 2-year-old male in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile when he heads up the field for the Southwest Stakes, which offers 10 qualifying points to the winner on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Essential Quality earned his Eclipse Award after winning the Grade 1 Breeders' Futurity Oct. 3 at Keeneland and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile there on Nov. 6. The son of Tapit will break from the rail in the 1 1/16-mile race. The Southwest and Bayakoa were originally scheduled to be run Feb. 15 before being postponed twice because of severe winter weather.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP022721USA10-EQB.html

6:10 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 2 Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park on FS2 and TVG

Courtlandt Farms' Greatest Honour, already a prime prospect on the strength of his dominating victory in the Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes, will take a significant step along the Road to the Triple Crown in Saturday's Fountain of Youth, which distributes Kentucky Derby qualifying points on a 50-20-10-5 scale to the top four finishers. Greatest Honour, who broke his maiden in his fourth career start Dec. 26 at Gulfstream, rallied from seventh in a field of nine to draw away by 5 ¾ lengths under Jose Ortiz in the 1 1/16-miles Holy Bull. The son of Tapit has shown trainer Shug McGaughey all the signs that he has moved forward in his training at Payson Park since his winning stakes debut.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP022721USA14-EQB.html

Sunday, Feb. 28

6:11 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 3 Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn Park on FS1 and TVG

Two-time Eclipse Award champion Monomoy Girl will be making her first start since winning the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff when she begins her 6-year-old season as the heavy favorite in the Bayakoa Stakes. A winner of 13 of 15 career starts, Monomoy Girl was an Eclipse Award winner for champion 3-year-old filly in 2018 and captured champion older dirt female honors in 2020 after missing all of her 4-year-old season due to illness and injury. She drew the outside post 6 for the 1 1/16-mile Bayakoa, a major local prep for the $1 million, Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap on April 17.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/OP022821USA9-EQB.html

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Unbeaten Rising Star Returns in Herecomesthebride

Undefeated Tobys Heart (Jack Milton) returns to the races Saturday after six months on the sidelines in Gulfstream's GIII Herecomesthebride S. Tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' off a 6 3/4-length romp in her Churchill unveiling June 4, the dark bay rallied to victory in the Bolton Landing S. going 5 1/2 panels at Saratoga Aug. 19. The $45,000 OBSMAR buy navigates two turns for the first time in this return from the bench.

Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}) opened her account last season with a pair of victories going a mile over this course, in her July 23 debut and the Sharp Susan S. Aug. 29. Second behind undefeated 'Rising Star' Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in Keeneland's GII Jessamine S. Oct. 7, the bay finished sixth behind that rival in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf S. in Lexington Nov. 6.

Con Lima (Commissioner) has never been worse than second in her career and has made six of her seven starts at this venue. Wiring a one-mile optional claimer here by 5 1/4 lengths Dec. 12, the dark bay scored another decisive victory in the Ginger Brew S. Jan. 2. Setting the early pace last time in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. Jan. 30, she was overtaken late and forced to settle for second.

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Champion Vequist Kicks Off Sophomore Season in Davona Dale

Eleven rivals will be waiting to take on recently crowned champion Vequist (Nyquist) in Saturday's GII Davona Dale S. going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park.

The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine, campaigned in partnership by Gary Barber, Wachtel Stable and breeder Swilcan Stable, earned her diploma at second asking with a daylight tally in Saratoga's GI Spinaway S. Sept. 6. Second behind Dayoutoftheoffice (Into Mischief) as the 4-5 favorite in the GI Frizette S. at Belmont Oct. 10, she turned the tables on that rival with a two-length upset tally at 6-1 on the big stage at Keeneland most recently Nov. 6.

The Davona Dale 7-5 morning-line favorite has drawn post three. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will ride.

“It was a box that I was never sure that I would check, training a champion, so it was nice to get that accomplished,” trainer Butch Reid, Jr. said. “She's doing really well. We're very happy with her. She's acclimated to the weather down here. We've been down here a couple of months already, so we've taken our time and so far, so good.”

Reid added, “I expect her to run well. We don't have the screws completely tightened for this one, but it should be a nice stepping-stone with some big races down the line in mind.”

Juddmonte homebred Millefeuille (Curlin), from the loaded female family of Broodmare of the Year Toussaud (El Gran Senor), has the look of a potential upsetter.

A smart maiden winner at second asking going this same distance at Belmont Oct. 23, she just got reeled in late by the unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat (Curlin) after enjoying a clear lead in the stretch in the nine-furlong GII Demoiselle S. over a sloppy track last time Dec. 5. The bay fired a four-furlong warning shot in :48 4/5 (1/9) at Hall of Famer Bill Mott's Payson base Feb. 14.

Curlin's Catch (Curlin) looks to stay perfect on dirt while riding a two-race winning streak. After earning her diploma over track and trip at third asking Jan. 3, the Breeze Easy runner took care of business in Tampa's Suncoast S. most recently Feb. 6.

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This Side Up: It’s Elementary as Fire Tests Water on Dirt

On the day that the leading grass juvenile of 2020 rolls the dice on the GI Kentucky Derby trail, here's a really important question for every American horseman. Just what was it about European turf star Mishriff (Ire) that qualified him to run down as irresistible a dirt runner as Charlatan (Speightstown) for the richest prize in our sport last weekend? The answer is so straightforward that it condenses into a single word, yet the implications continue to elude almost everyone in our industry. And that word is: opportunity.

There were two very obvious reasons why Mishriff was given his opportunity in the Saudi Cup. One is that we're all rather more disposed to gamble when the odds of reward are so spectacular; the other is that the race was staged in his owner's hometown.

To be fair, Mishriff had made an encouraging reconnaissance the previous year, while his subsequent deeds in Europe left no doubt of his eligibility in terms of class. So that all figures. Yet the fact is that only those incidental incentives emboldened the kind of experiment nowadays almost manically forsworn on both sides of the Atlantic.

By this stage I have doubtless worn out the record over the shocking lack of adventure lately emasculating the European challenge at the Breeders' Cup, despite the remarkable achievements of those who did gamble on dirt in years past. But Americans have become barely less prescriptive in deciding a horse's surface requirements, carved in stone after a single glance at a pedigree. Both communities, as such, need sit down a minute and consider that of Mishriff.

His sire Make Believe (GB) is a French Classic winner by a British Classic winner, out of a daughter of Arc winner Suave Dancer, himself by a French Classic winner. Mishriff's dam Contradict (GB) is out of a half-sister to two remarkable Irish stallions in Invincible Spirit (Ire) and Kodiac (GB); and if Contradict is admittedly by a Breeders' Cup Classic winner, we all know that Raven's Pass was obliged, that year, with a synthetic surface congenially akin to turf.

The next three dams, meanwhile, are by turf milers Bahri, Kris (GB) and Artaius. Actually Bahri was also sire of Sakhee, whose dam won at Royal Ascot and was by the reputed chlorophyll addict Sadler's Wells. Nonetheless Sakhee was beaten a nose by dirt monster Tiznow at the Breeders' Cup, 20 days after romping the Arc in the mud. In terms of pedigree, the grounds for running Sakhee on dirt were the same as for Mishriff: zilch.

As I'm always saying–and I'm sorry to keep mounting the same soapbox, but nobody else seems to care–what is at stake is the kind of mutual transfusion that has historically energized the breed.
Speed-carrying dirt blood was the foundation of the Coolmore revolution, which continues to percolate through the twin branches of Northern Dancer's European dynasty, via Sadler's Wells and Danzig. Yet where is the rival with enough wit to challenge the same firm's Epsom hegemony by the same formula today, with stallions who–like Northern Dancer–carried their speed two turns on dirt? Anybody remotely serious about prising Classics out of the grasp of Galileo (Ire) and sons should have the big Bluegrass farms on speed-dial. As it is, the Europeans can't even absorb the blatant lessons of recent bargain imports by an accredited turf stallion in Kitten's Joy.

But American horsemen are no less myopic. Yes, some do import European bloodstock–as yearlings, or already in training–but only to target a weaker U.S. program. Few remember how farms like Claiborne and Darby Dan created Classic dirt pedigrees with stallions imported from Europe. Today turf sires in Kentucky are treated as commercial poison, and even when Noble Mission (GB) contrived a GI Kentucky Derby runner-up from his first crop–duly reminding us all that the running style of his brother Frankel (GB) was pure dirt–the next thing you know he has been driven out of town.

Fire At Will (Declaration of War) gets his shot on dirt in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. for the same reason as Mishriff last weekend. Nothing to lose, and potentially enormous rewards. His sire, remember, was beaten a nose and a head when trying dirt for the first time on his final start at the Breeders' Cup. But Declaration Of War was obviously far too versatile for his own good, wandering four continents through his first seven years at stud. In fact, Noble Mission is now in the same barn. Someday, too late, breeders in Europe and America will wake up to the fact that the ultimate 21st Century Thoroughbred is being bred in Japan from blood they rejected.

As it happens, Fire At Will is himself a combination of those Danzig and Sadler's Wells highways to Northern Dancer: he's by a son of War Front out of a Kitten's Joy mare. Not even I can pretend that Kitten's Joy is a versatile influence, though it's interesting that his own sire El Prado (Ire) did give us one in Medaglia d'Oro. Regardless, the family tapers into outright dirt royalty, to Rough Shod through Flippers and Moccasin; and it's been seeded with corresponding quality, by Arch, Nureyev (third dam, of course, Rough Shod) and Seattle Slew.

Whether or not Fire At Will takes to dirt is immaterial. The principle can't stand or fall on a single horse. Nobody will be reading too much into that off-the-turf success in the slop last summer, and he's resurfacing from a long hibernation (curiously enough, on the same day as the dirt champ over at Oaklawn). He'll find no hiding place between the speedball Drain The Clock (Maclean's Music) and a two-turn prince in Greatest Honour (Tapit). But I simply hope he runs well enough, so soon after a finishing kick honed on grass was too much even for Charlatan, to make horsemen everywhere stop and think. Just how many other horses might be out there, you wonder, with capacities far exceeding their opportunity?

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