New York-Bred Niko’s Dream Rallies Wide For My Charmer Score At Gulfstream

Sackatoga Stable's Niko's Dream, placed in three previous stakes over the past two years, became a stakes winner for the first time with a 13-1 upset of the $75,000 My Charmer Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Jockey Junior Alvarado, riding for trainer Barclay Tagg, settled the 4-year-old Central Banker filly Niko's Dream alone in fifth as Piedi Bianchi ran a quarter-mile in 23.41 seconds and a half in 46.79 pressed by 2019 Tropical Park Oaks winner Our Bay B Ruth with 3-2 favorite Lady Lawyer and 35-1 long shot Great Sister Diane also in the top group.

Niko's Dream found herself surrounded by Grade 3-placed Art of Almost to the inside and Tuned on her right midway on the far turn when she kicked into high gear. Steered to the far outside by Alvarado, Niko's Dream collared Art of Almost at the top of the stretch and edged clear with plenty left to hold off a late bid from Tuned. The winning time was 1:41.82 for 1 1/16 miles over the good turf.

“I had a great trip. The whole way around, I was happy where I was,” Alvarado said. “I made my move when I wanted to and had to make sure she was in the clear on the outside. I've been riding her for a while, so I knew she likes to make a nice move on the outside. It worked out perfect today.”

Tuned beat Art of Almost for second, followed by Piedi Bianchi, Our Bay B Ruth, Lady Lawyer and Great Sister Diane.

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Lady’s Island Successfully Defends Title In Sugar Swirl At Gulfstream Park

Averill Racing LLC and Matties Racing's Lady's Island survived an inquiry to successful defend her title in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The Sugar Swirl, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, was one of five stakes on Saturday's program, including the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a key prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Jan. 23.

Lady's Island's front-running score came a day after owner Rich Averill and his partners retired their 10-year-old turf sprint star Pay Any Price following a second-place finish in Friday's last race at Gulfstream.

“I have had a couple of emotional days,” said trainer Georgina Baxter. “I am so pleased she was able to defend her crown. They write her off, but to me, where she's right, she's one of the quickest fillies in America.”

The 6-year-old daughter of Greatness ($11) broke alertly under Emisael Jaramillo to show the way along the backstretch on her way to setting fractions of 22.12 and 44.54 seconds for a half mile. She continued to show the way into the stretch and maintained her lead while steadily drifting out. The Florida-bred mare shortened stride late but was able to hold off a late-running Bronx Beauty by a head.

Cinnabunny, the even-money favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., closed steadily in the stretch while racing in tight quarters to finish third, three-quarters of a length back. Lady's Island ran six furlongs in 1:10.46.

Ortiz filed an objection, but after a lengthy review, the stewards made no change in the order of finish.

The successful title defense was the 17th victory in 34 career starts for Lady's Island, who scored a front-running 9 ¾-length victory in last season's Sugar Swirl.

“We don't know what the future holds for her,” said Averill. “This could be one of her last races.”

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‘We Have High Hopes For Him’: $900,000 Quality Road Colt Prime Factor Romps In Debut For Pletcher

WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Prime Factor appears ready for prime time following the Todd Pletcher's trainee's sparkling debut Saturday at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 2-year-old son of Quality Road crossed the finish line under wraps while scoring by 8 ¾ lengths in the six-furlong maiden special weight race carded as Race 2 on a program that featured the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) and four other stakes.

Bred by Two Hearts Farm LLC and purchased for $900,000 from the Legacy Bloodstock consignment at the 2019 Keeneland September sale, Prime Factor broke alertly from the starting gate to sit alongside pacesetter Dr. Duke along the backstretch and around the far turn before assuming the lead on the turn into the homestretch. The Kentucky-bred colt quickly accelerated at the top of the stretch under mild encouragement from jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. before completing the final eighth of a mile under wraps.

“It was a very professional debut. He broke well and put himself in a good spot. It looked like he was taking Irad wherever he wanted him to go throughout the race,” Pletcher said. “He's been training exceptionally well. We were looking forward to a good debut. Honestly, he exceeded expectations.”

Prime Factor ($6.20), who ran six furlongs in 1:10.38, is out of the Bernardini mare Hailey Brae, a half-sister to Speightster.

“We'll talk to Elliott [Walden] and the guys at WinStar and CHC and come up with a game plan,” Pletcher said. “The good thing about this time of year is there's pretty good options all around. We have high hopes for him.”

Pletcher-trained Bracken, a debuting son of Speightster for Robert and Lawana Low, closed to finish second behind Prime Factor.

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Derby Prep: Remington’s Springboard Mile Draws Field Of 11 Juveniles

The $200,000 Springboard Mile, Remington Park's top stakes race for 2-year-olds, drew a field of 11 this morning. The contest will headline a program of 13 races on Friday night, Dec. 18, going as race 12 at approximately 10:28pm. The first race of the evening is at 5pm. All times are Central.

A pair of horses coming out of Breeders' Cup races last month at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky. have entered the Springboard. They are the top two in the morning-line odds for the co-richest race of the Remington Park season.

Outadore, third in the Grade 1, $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf on Nov. 6, has been tabbed as the morning-line favorite at 3-1 odds. The second horse in the line is Cowan, second in the Grade 2, $1,000,000 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, at odds of 4-1.

Owned by Breeze Easy and trained by Wesley Ward, Outadore will make his first attempt over dirt in the Springboard. All three of his career starts have been on turf. He broke his maiden at Saratoga in July, sprinting 5-1/2 furlongs. A colt by Outwork from the Tactical Cat mare Adore You, Outadore then won the $500,000 Juvenile Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 12 before his third-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Outadore worked a bullet five furlongs this morning at Keeneland, labeled a breeze, in :59.60 over a fast track. Remington Park's leading jockey, David Cabrera, has been named aboard Outadore for the Springboard.

Cowan has five career starts, sharing that distinction with Red N Wild, for the most of the Springboard entrants. Owned by the Houston partnership of William and Corinne Heiligbrodt, Madaket Stables and Spendthrift Farm, Cowan is trained by Remington Park's leading all-time trainer Steve Asmussen.

A colt by Kantharos from the Smart Strike mare Tempers Flair, Cowan broke his maiden in his career debut at Churchill Downs in May. He has competed solely in stakes races since that victory and is still in search of his second career score. He ran third behind Outadore in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs, beaten by five lengths. His following two starts were at Keeneland, finishing second in both the $150,000 Indian Summer Stakes on Oct. 4 and then in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint at 5-1/2 furlongs on Nov. 6.

The Springboard Mile will be the first attempt for Cowan at the distance and his first start back on a main track after three straight in turf stakes. Stewart Elliott, the regular first-call rider at Remington Park for the Asmussen operation, will have the mount on Cowan.

Trainer Brad Cox will try to pull off the 2020 Oklahoma Derby/Springboard Mile double at Remington Park, having won the $200,000 derby in September with Shared Sense. He will look for a knockout effort by sending Joe Frazier into the Springboard, in the first stakes attempt for the colt named after one of the most famous boxers of all-time.

Owned by Ike and Dawn Thrash, Joe Frazier won his career debut, a $150,000 maiden-claiming event at Keeneland, scoring the six-furlong sprint by three lengths. An allowance start going 1-1/16 miles at Churchill Downs on Nov. 22 produced a third-place effort. After leading into the stretch in that two-turn event, Joe Frazier faded late, finishing 6-1/4 lengths back.

Jockey Richard Eramia, who rode Shared Sense to the Oklahoma Derby score for Cox, has been named on Joe Frazier who is at 5-1 odds in the morning-line.

Oklahoma-bred hero Number One Dude is at 6-1 odds in the morning-line and will attempt to remain undefeated in the Springboard, his fourth start of the Remington Park season. Owned by Terry Westemeir of Broken Arrow, Okla. and trained by Kari Craddock, Number One Dude attempts to become the first Oklahoma-bred to win the Springboard since Ted's Folly in 2011.

Number One Dude won his career debut with Oklahoma-bred maiden special weight horses, going 5-1/2 furlongs, winning easily by 7-1/2 lengths on Sept. 18. He was entered in two subsequent stakes races – the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile on Oct. 16 and the $75,000 Don McNeill Stakes on Nov. 13 – and won both of them. The Juvenile was at six furlongs for Oklahoma-breds and he finished one length ahead at the wire. Number One Dude then raced around two turns for the first time, blowing his competition away by six lengths at the Springboard Mile distance on a muddy track in the McNeill.

Jockey Ezequiel Lara has the mount on Number One Dude who also makes his first career attempt outside of the state-bred ranks.

Outadore is the top earner in the Springboard Mile with $424,100 from his three attempts. Number One Dude leads the field with three career wins.

The field for the Springboard Mile, by program and post-position order, with trainer, jockey and morning-line odds:

1. Senor Buscador: Todd Fincher, Luis Quinonez, 15-1

2. Number One Dude: Kari Craddock, Ezequiel Lara, 6-1

3. Vim And Vigor: Larry Stroope, Walter De La Cruz, 20-1

4. Gushing Oil: Danny Pish, Lane Luzzi, 15-1

5. Red N Wild: Terry Eoff, Sophie Doyle, 12-1

6. Game Day Play: Bret Calhoun, Lindey Wade, 10-1

7. Saffa's Day: Steve Asmussen, Iram Diego, 10-1

8. Cowan: Steve Asmussen, Stewart Elliott, 4-1

9. Outadore: Wesley Ward, David Cabrera, 3-1 (morning-line favorite)

10. Joe Frazer: Brad Cox, Richard Eramia, 5-1

11. Flash Of Mischief: Karl Broberg, Ramon Vazquez, 15-1

The Springboard will carry qualifying points for the 2021 Kentucky Derby. Long Range Toddy gained 10 points in the 2018 Springboard Mile and earned his way into the Kentucky Derby field in 2019.

The Springboard Mile program begins with a twilight 5pm-Central first-race. The other five stakes events on the program include:

Race 8 – $75,000 She's All In Stakes, fillies and mares, 3 and up, 1 mile-70yards

Race 9 – $70,000 Jim Thorpe Stakes, 3-year-old Oklahoma-breds, 1 mile

Race 10 – $70,000 Useeit Stakes, 3-year-old Oklahoma-bred fillies, 1 mile

Race 11 – $60,000 Trapeze Stakes, 2-year-old fillies, 1 mile

Race 13 – $60,000 Jeffrey Hawk Memorial, 3-year-olds and up, 1 mile-70 yards

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