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Pletcher Pair To Prep For Pegasus Turf In Saturday’s Fort Lauderdale

Grade 1 winner Halladay and multiple stakes-winning stablemate Largent will test their affinity for the racetrack with designs on the richest prize of the winter turf season next month in Saturday's $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The 64th running of the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale for 3-year-olds and up on the grass is the headliner on an 11-race program featuring five stakes, four graded, worth $575,000 in purses. First race post time is 12:05 p.m.

Also on the card are the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, hometown prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 23; and $100,000 Rampart (G3) at one mile, $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) going six furlongs and $75,000 My Rampart at 1 1/16 miles on turf, all for fillies and mares 3 and older.

Since the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) was inaugurated in 2019, the Fort Lauderdale was moved from early January to mid-December to serve as the local stepping-stone to the Pegasus Day event. Eight of the 10 horses in Saturday's field are stakes winners, six of them in graded company.

“This is going to be a tough race. This is a prep with some real teeth to it,” said Todd Pletcher, a two-time Fort Lauderdale winner who trains both Halladay and Largent. “I think if either one of them were able to perform well in here it would certainly tell us that they belong in the Pegasus.”

Harrell Ventures' Halladay is undefeated in three races at Gulfstream, winning the 2019 Tropical Park Derby at last winter's Championship Meet and both an April 4 optional claiming allowance and the 1 1/16-mile Sunshine Forever May 9 during the spring-summer stand. The 4-year-old War Front colt has never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles in his 15-race career.

“We're interested in trying to stretch him out. We know that he's fond of the Gulfstream course so we felt like this was sort of a good opportunity to see how he would handle a little more distance,” Pletcher said. “If this were to go really well it would put the Pegasus Turf in play, so that's what we're trying to find out.”

Fourth behind Fort Lauderdale rival Somelikeithotbrown in the Bernard Baruch (G2) in July, Halladay rebounded to win the one-mile Fourstardave (G1) Aug. 22, also at Saratoga. The front-running Halladay was sixth after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) last out Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“He ran well. We unfortunately had to miss a prep race for it and the ground might have been a touch softer than he really likes it,” Pletcher said. “The way he finished and galloped out that day in the Fourstardave was encouraging. We're interested to see how he does with the added distance.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Largent owns three wins and a second in four lifetime tries at Gulfstream, breaking his maiden last March and winning a pair of allowances during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet.

The 4-year-old Into Mischief gelding became a stakes winner in the Edward P. Evans in July at Colonial Downs, and returns off a neck triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Bert Allen Oct. 9 at Laurel Park, both coming against fellow Virginia-breds.

Like Halladay, Largent has never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles. He will carry 120 pounds including jockey Paco Lopez from Post 6 while Luis Saez has the assignment on Halladay from outside Post 10 at co-topweight of 125 pounds.

“He's super consistent, always shows up and runs well. He, too, has always liked Gulfstream. He's definitely one that is capable on the day,” Pletcher said of Largent. “I think as he's matured he's settled a little better, as has Halladay, I think that gives them both the chance of handling the added distance.”

A former Pletcher trainee, Calumet Farm's Channel Cat is also part of the Fort Lauderdale mix with designs on the Pegasus. Channel Cat ran third by less than a length, beaten a neck for second, in last year's race, then finished 10th in the Pegasus Turf and fourth in the Pan American (G2) before going to the sidelines.

The 5-year-old son of turf champion English Channel is now under the care of Calumet's private trainer Jack Sisterson and set to make his first start since March 28. Winner of the 2019 Bowling Green (G2), Channel Cat is less than $52,000 shy of the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings.

“I think the pressure's on to sort of try and follow in Todd's footsteps, but we'll give it a shot,” Sisterson said. “We'll see how he performs and where we go after that. If he was to run well, we'll bring him back for the Pegasus.”

Corey Lanerie rides Channel Cat from Post 5 at 120 pounds.

Somelikeithotbrown and Tide of the Sea will represent trainer Mike Maker, upset winner of the 2020 Pegasus Turf with Zulu Alpha and winner of the 2018 Fort Lauderdale with Shining Copper. Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea has two seconds and back-to-back wins since being purchased for $80,000 out of Keeneland's November 2019 Breeding Stock Sale.

Skychai Racing and David Koenig's Somelikeithotbrown won the Bernard Baruch and Oct. 24 Mohawk against fellow New York-breds in front-running fashion. Though he shares a similar running style as Halladay, the 4-year-old Big Brown colt has experience at 1 1/8 miles with two wins, a second and a third in six tries.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Somelikeithotbrown from the rail. Tide of the Sea will be ridden by Joe Bravo from Post 7.

“We're going to give both of them a shot,” Maker said. “It would be great to get back to the Pegasus.”

Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This is a 12-time career winner of more than $1.2 million in purse earnings trained by Brad Cox, who has a string in South Florida for the first time this winter. Factor This won four straight races and three graded-stakes between Feb. 15 and Aug. 2, a period interrupted by a pause in racing amid the coronavirus pandemic, was a front-running winner of the Dinner Party (G2) Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course and finished eighth following a troubled trip in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Spooky Channel, the 2020 W.L. McKnight (G3) winner at Gulfstream; Phipps Stable's Grade 3-placed homebred Breaking the Rules, two-for-three lifetime at Gulfstream including a win in the 2018 Tropical Park Derby; Juddmonte Farms French Group 3 winner Delaware, third by a neck in the Artie Schiller last out Nov. 14 at Aqueduct; and Allen Stable homebred Doswell, a winner of two straight for trainer Barclay Tagg round out the field.

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Mr. Buff Takes Short Turnaround Into Saturday’s Alex M. Robb Stakes

Multiple stakes winner Mr. Buff returns off short rest in Saturday's $100,000 Alex M. Robb, a nine-furlong test for New York-breds 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by John Kimmel, Mr. Buff ran a distant fifth in Saturday's Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap contested over a sloppy track at the Big A after scoring against his Empire State-bred counterparts in the Empire Classic on Empire Showcase Day, October 24 at Belmont Park.

Owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Mr. Buff will look for his third straight Alex M. Robb score. He notched the first of his nine stakes triumphs in the 2018 edition by a nose over Twisted Tom. Last year, he was an emphatic 7 ½-length victor of the Alex M. Robb over Dynamax Prime.

Mr. Buff has amassed the highest amount of lifetime earnings in the field, banking $1,220,786 with a career record of 41-15-7-4. In addition to the last two runnings of the Alex M. Robb, Mr. Buff owns victories in the Jazil in back-to-back years and the Haynesfield, which he won last year by 20 lengths while garnering a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Kimmel said Mr. Buff exited the Cigar Mile in good order.

“His energy level was quite high. He actually seems quite full of himself,” Kimmel said. “I'm not committed to running. We'll get a couple more gallop days into him. The exercise rider [Jorge Munoz] that has been on him says he feels extremely energetic. He seems to be doing fine.”

Should he opt out of the Alex M. Robb, Kimmel said the nine-furlong $100,000 Queens County on December 19 at the Big A against open company would be another option for Mr. Buff.

Kendrick Carmouche, the recently concluded Big A fall meet's leading rider, piloted Mr. Buff to his maiden victory in September 2016 at Belmont Park. He will be reunited with the talented New York-bred from post 4.

Christophe Clement, fresh off earning his first New York training title at the Aqueduct fall meet, will send City Man back to action after a triumphant stakes encounter in the open company Gio Ponti on November 27 over the inner turf at the Big A.

Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles, the sophomore son of Mucho Macho Man made his fourth career start on grass a winning one last out. He won last year's Funny Cide in August 2019 one the Saratoga Race Course main track by 4 ¾ lengths.

“It seems to be the nature of his sire. He's putting out as good of dirt horses as he is turf horses,” said Dean Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, who also campaigned Mucho Macho Man. “This is a nice horse. I was happy for him to come back and win the way he did. He had been running well, we just weren't getting the job done, so I was happy to see him notch a stakes win. Personally, I think he'll get better in his 4-year-old season. There's a lot of upside side to him.”

In winning the Gio Ponti, City Man ended a seven-race losing streak, which included a close fourth in the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland, marking his lone graded stakes start to date. He has never finished worst than fourth through a consistent 10-3-2-1 record.

“When I watch him, I still think he's a little immature,” Reeves said. “He wants to run up to the leaders all of a sudden and then wait on them. Once he grows out of that, he can go by them and finish a little stronger. He's an exciting horse. It's really nice to have a horse where you can think dirt and turf.”

City Man, bred in New York by Moonstar Farm, is out of the City Zip mare City Scamper. He was purchased for $185,000 from the OBS April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

City Man will exit post 3 with Manny Franco aboard.

Clement also will send out Waterville Lake Stable's Sea Foam, who seeks his fourth career stakes triumph.

The homebred 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, out of the graded-stakes winning Unbridled's Song mare Strike It Rich, won the Notebook at the Big A during his juvenile campaign and picked up wins in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes and the Albany at Saratoga the following year.

Sea Foam has notched three allowance wins since then, including two against open company. He was third last out to Mr. Buff in the Empire Classic.

Joel Rosario will ride Sea Foam from post 1.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Bankit seeks his first triumph since last year's New York Derby for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of Central Banker, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, has gone winless in 11 starts this season. He has been stakes-placed on six occasions this year, including two runner-up placings at Oaklawn Park, where he was a head shy of victory in the Fifth Season and Grade 3 Razorback. Bankit was a last-out third to Funny Guy in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on November 22 at the Big A.

Jockey Jose Lezcano will be aboard from post 6.

Completing the field are four-time winner Yankee Division [post 2, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], and Noda Brothers' Miner's Mark winner Danny California [post 5, Luis Castro Rodgriguez].

The Alex M. Robb is slated as Race 8 on Aqueduct's nine-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Shang Takes On Underpressure In Saturday’s Louisiana Champions Day Classic

Corrine & William L. Heiligbrodt's Shang, a winner of four of five lifetime starts locally, has been installed as Mike Diliberto's 8-5 morning line favorite for the $150,000 Louisiana Champions Day Classic (1 1/8 miles), one of ten restricted stakes offered on Saturday's 13-race card at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in New Orleans, La. First post will be at noon CT, one hour earlier than usual. The Classic is carded as race 12. Traditional 50-cent Pick Five wagers will be offered in races one and nine.

A 4-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby, the Steve Asmussen-trained Shang is seven for 14 lifetime, with four of those wins coming in Lousiana-bred stakes. In his most recent start on July 4 at Evangeline Downs, Shang rallied from mid-pack to take the Louisiana Legends Turf. Ricardo Santana, Jr. has the call from post seven of eight.

Drawn just to Shang's outside is the 5-2 second choice, Mallory Richard's Underpressure. A career earner of nearly $744,582, the 6-year-old gelded son of Birdstone is a 13-time winner from 37 lifetime opportunities. The winner of seven restricted stakes, this will be the Chris Richard trainee's fourth try in the Louisiana Classic. The winner of the 2018 edition over a sloppy track, he was third in 2017 and again last year. Fair Grounds' current leading rider James Graham has the call from post eight.

Completing the Louisiana Champions Day Classic field from the rail out: Whitney Zeringue, Jr.'s (owner and trainer) Freedomfi, the winner of 2 of 18 starts (post 1 at 20-1 with Mitchell Murrill); Kirk Rovinsky's Social Afleet, most recently sixth off the $20,000 claim in the B-Connected Stakes at Delta Downs on November 24 for trainer Sarah Delany (post 2 at 20-1 with Marcelino Pedroza); Gerrard Perron's (owner and trainer) Grand Luwegee, who is winless since posting an upset victory in thee Premier Night Championship at Delta in February of 2019 (post 3 at 10-1 with Colby Hernandez); Baronne Farm's Sydster, who won the Crescent City Derby for trainer Eddie Johnston on March 21 at Fair Grounds (post 4 at 5-1 with Florent Geroux – cross entered in the Turf); Pine Knoll Farm LLC's Jus Lively, who just missed in the B-Connected Stakes on November 24 at Delta Downs last out for trainer Steve Asmussen (8-1 with Adam Beschizza); and Double Dan Farm LLC's and trainer Delmar Caldwell's Mageez, who has won ten races and banked $578,755 in a 50-race career.

Thomas Morley and Paul Braveman's Ninety One Assault, who stormed home to an impressive victory in last year's edition, is slated to take on ten rivals as the 9-5 morning line favorite in Saturday's $100,000 Louisiana Champions Day Turf. Contested over 1 1/16 miles on the Stall-Wilson Turf Course, it will be run as race 11 of 13 on the card.

Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, who has won five of his six tries aboard the seven-year-old gelding, will partner with him once again, and the dynamic duo will leave from post nine for trainer Tom Morley. Campaigned on the East Coast when Fair Grounds is dark for live racing, Ninety One Assault was last seen finishing sixth in the Artie Schiller, a race named for his sire, on November 14 at Aqueduct.

Claimed for just $12,500 in August of 2019, Budro Talking would finish third in last year's Louisiana Turf Classic just four months later for trainer Karl Broberg. Claimed again for $17,500 by owner Jack Randall and trainer Keith Austin, the five-year-old gelded son of Tale of Ekati has rattled off consecutive wins for his current connections, including the Louisiana Cup Turf Classic at Louisiana Downs in his most recent start on September 19. He will break from post two on Saturday with Florent Geroux in tow.

Completing the Louisiana Champions Day Turf field from the rail out: Snake Racing LLC's Treys Midnight Moon, a former $5,000 claimer who has gone on to win ten races and bank $233,665 (post 1 with James Graham at 10-1 for trainer Coralle “Bunky” Rickards); E and M Scherer Racing and trainer Eric Scherer's Musical Man, who is two for 16 lifetime (post 3 with Adam Beschizza at 30-1); Brittlyn Stable Inc.'s Guitar Tribute, who has hit the board in four consecutive starts for trainer Jose Camejo (post 4 with Ricardo Santana, Jr. at 20-1); Lane Cortez and trainer Ron Faucheux's Afleet Ascent, who has banked over $200,000 but enters on a 16-race losing streak (post 5 with Gabriel Saez at 10-1); Columbine Stable LLC's Unrestricted, who has won four of ten lifetime starts and three of his last four for trainer Al Stall, Jr. (post 6 with Colby Hernandez at 12-1); Jeanne Marie Dolan's (owner and trainer) Changi, who returns to Louisiana-bred company after competing against graded stakes company in three of his last five starts (post 7 with Mitchell Murrill at 8-1); Carl R. Moore Management LLC's Carlea's Dream, who will face fellow Louisiana-breds for the first time in 11 career starts off a recent runner-up performance in a second-level turf allowance on the Remington Park turf (post 8 with Brian Hernandez, Jr. at 8-1); Baronne Farm's Sydster, who won the Crescent City Derby for trainer Eddie Johnston on March 21 at Fair Grounds (post 10 at 5-1 with Florent Geroux – cross entered in the Classic); Gerard Perron's (owner and trainer) Kingdom Way, who won a restricted first-level allowance race on the Louisiana Downs turf in September in his most recent start (post 11 with Angel Suarez at 30-1); and the lone also eligible, Alston Thoroughbreds LLC, Earl J Hernandez and J. Duvieilh's Jax Man, who has won two Louisiana-bred allowance races this year (post 12 with Marcelino Pedroza at 12-1).

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Talented Tatweej Prepared For ‘Coming Out Party’ In Saturday’s Harlan’s Holiday

Alshareef Hazzaa Shaker Alabdali's Tatweej is scheduled to make his stakes debut in Saturday's $100,000 Harlan's Holiday at Gulfstream Park, where the 4-year-old son of Tapit will put a streak of three commanding victories on the line.

The Harlan's Holiday, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds and up, is one of four graded stakes on Saturday's card, headlined by the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), a key prep for the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Jan. 23.

The late-developing Tatweej, who was purchased for $2.5 million at the 2017 Keeneland September sale, has run four times, all at Gulfstream Park, where he finished third in his June 21 debut. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt, who obviously benefited from the experience, went on to win his next three starts at Gulfstream, all going away at the one-turn mile distance under Edgard Zayas.

“He's a very well-bred horse and always showed some talent. It took a little while to kind of get to the races, but he's been ultra-consistent since he has,” Pletcher said. “This is kind of his coming out party, so to speak, if he's able to handle this step up.”

Tatweej broke his maiden by 3 ¾ lengths on a fast track before winning a first-level optional claiming allowance by 2 ½ lengths over a good track and capturing a second-level optional claiming allowance by 2 ¾ lengths over a sloppy surface.

“He seems to like Gulfstream,” Pletcher said. “It will be an opportunity to get him stretched out around two turns and see how he can handle that and the step up in the class.”

Zayas has the return call aboard Tatweej, who will be taking on six rivals with vastly more stakes experience.

Phat Man, a 6-year-old gelding owned by Marianne Stribling, Force Five Racing LLC and Two Rivers Racing Stable LLC, will seek to improve on a second-place finish in last year's Harlan's Holiday, in which he finished between victorious war horse, War Story, and bad-boy-turned-Grade-1-winner Bodexpress.

The son of Munnings went on to capture the Fred Hooper (G3) to give trainer Kent Sweezey his first graded-stakes success and finish second in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G2).

“A couple of guys who know the sheets always said he was running really good numbers at a one-turn mile,” Sweezey said. “But I thought he ran a great race going two turns in this same race last year.”

Phat Man didn't see action again until returning from an eight-month layoff in the Nov. 7 Lafayette at Keeneland, where he raced extremely wide from his far-outside post position before finishing sixth, four lengths behind victorious Sleepy Eyes Todd.

“He was hung out wide.” Sweezey said. “He's huge. He's the biggest horse I've been around. He's massive. I thought he got a little tired which goes to show you he needed one under his belt.”

Irad Ortiz Jr., who was aboard in last year's Harlan's Holiday and Hooper, returns to the saddle Saturday.

John Fanelli and partners' Math Wizard will seek to win his first race in six starts since capturing the 2019 Pennsylvania Derby (G1) at Parx. The Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 4-year-old colt's best performance this year was a second-place finish behind Global Campaign in the Monmouth Cup (G3) in July.

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride the son of Algorithms for the first time.

Tax, a multiple graded-stakes winner for R. A Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable, is scheduled to return from a seven-month layoff Saturday. The 4-year-old gelding has raced only once since finishing a troubled ninth in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream last January, finishing fifth in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2) May 2.

Tax won the Withers (G3) and finished second in the Wood Memorial (G2) last year before finishing 15th in the Kentucky Derby (G1). The son of Arch went on to win the Jim Dandy (G2) at Saratoga a few months later.

Luis Saez, who rode six winners on last Saturday's Claiming Crown program, has the call aboard Tax.

Roseland Farm Stable's Royal Urn will seek his first stakes victory in open company for trainer Kelly Breen. The 4-year-old son of Kantharos, though, is in career form, having captured three stakes for New Jersey-bred horses at Monmouth Park this year.

Joe Bravo, who was aboard for one of those stakes triumphs, has the call Saturday.

Trainer Steve Budhoo's Eye of a Jedi, who finished off the board in last year's Harlan's Holiday, enters this year's race off back-to-back victories. The son of Eye of the Leopard closed strongly to defeated multiple grades-stakes winner Diamond Oops in the mile Coaltown Handicap June 13 before stretching-out to 1 1/16 miles to win the Sea of Tranquility Stakes a month later.

Marcos Meneses, who was aboard for the Coaltown Handicap score, has the call aboard the Kentucky-bred 5-year-old gelding.

Gelfenstein Farm Inc.'s Identifier, who registered a 60-1 upset victory in last season's Hal's Hope (G3), is coming off a distant second-place finish behind next-out Grade 1 stakes winner Bodexpress in a Gulfstream Park West optional claiming allowance.

Jose Ortiz is scheduled to ride the 4-year-old son of Creative Cause for the first time Saturday.

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