Trainer Carlos David will saddle Lynx for a start in the $200,000 Susan's Girl at Gulfstream Park with a strong resume of success in the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.
In 2021, the David-trained Octane captured the $200,000 Affirmed and the $400,000 In Reality after sitting out the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the first leg of the series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.
An Arindel homebred, like Octane, Lynx is coming off a victory in the $100,000 Desert Vixen, giving the undefeated daughter of Brethren at least a chance to sweep the fillies division of the Florida Sire Stakes series.
“I'm really grateful to be given the opportunity with Arindel. It's been really good so far,” David said. “Last year, we had good luck with Octane. He captured two of the races. With Lynx, we started her early and she was able to win her maiden going five-eighths and we stretched her out and she improved last time.”
The Susan's Girl, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies, will co-headline Saturday's Florida Sire Stakes program with the $200,000 Affirmed, a seven-furlong open division sprint.
Lynx has demonstrated that she doesn't need things to go her way to win in both of her career starts. In her May 19 debut at five furlongs, her momentum was briefly slowed in traffic entering the far turn, but she quickly recovered with a three-wide sweep entering the stretch on her way to graduating by 1 ¾ lengths over a pair of next-out winners.
Her return in the six-furlong Desert Vixen was marred by bumping at the start and being forced to race five-wide, but she persevered in the stretch to score by 1 ¼ lengths.
“The last time, I didn't want to be that far back, but the fractions were fast going into the turn,” David said. “Stretching her out is key. She gets better and better. Hopefully, we'll get this one too.”
Edgard Zayas has the return mount aboard Lynx, who has been installed as the 5-2 morning-line favorite in a field of eight fillies, including stablemate Shiloh, a maiden rated at 10-1.
Arindel's Shiloh was steadied at the start and bumped early in her second career start but recovered to finish a close second in a 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight race Aug. 5,
“Going 6 ½ [furlongs] last time, she was well rated and came up at the end to just miss out by a neck. Instead of going into a maiden special weight, going seven-eighths, we decided to go here,” David said. “Hopefully, we can be 1-2.”
Edgar Perez has the return mount aboard Shiloh, also a daughter of Brethren.
Laurie Plesa and Glassman Racing LLC's Time Passage was rated second at 7-2 in the morning line on the strength of a sharp maiden victory at Gulfstream Aug. 19. After disappointing with a fifth-place finish as the favorite in her 4 ½-furlong debut June 9, the Eddie Plesa Jr. trainee rebounded with a thoroughly professional performance in a 5 ½-furlong maiden race, in which she took outside pressure while setting the pace into the stretch before drawing away by 2 ¾ lengths.
“Her last race was a big race for me. I was hoping she would run that big. Her first race was a mixed race. She got in trouble the first part of the race and didn't really have a good trip,” Plesa said. “She's shown me that she's a nicer filly than her first race. I think she could be something that we're really proud of. She ran her race last time. She did it the way we wanted to see.”
Time Passage, who gave freshman stallion Tunwoo his first winner at stud, is a half-sister to Outfoxed, who captured the $200,000 Susan's Girl and the $400,000 My Dear Girl last year after sitting out the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes series.
“It looks like seven-eighths won't be a problem for her. Needless to say, her sister won the race last year,” Plesa said. “We're hoping to follow in her footsteps.”
Kevin Krigger has the return mount aboard Time Passage.
Stonehedge LLC, which has enjoyed long-standing success in the Florida Sire Stakes series, will be represented in the Susan's Girl by My Cajun Lady, a nine-length maiden winner at seven furlongs in her second career start; and Cajun Tease, a 2 ¼-length debut winner at five furlongs July 1. Both fillies are daughters of Cajun Breeze. Their trainer Michael Yates has achieved Florida Sire Stakes success with three offspring of Cajun Breeze in recent seasons.
Miguel Vasquez has the return call on My Cajun Lady, while Jose Morelos will be back aboard Cajun Tease.
Jacks or Better Farm Inc., the all-time leading owner in the Florida Sire Stakes series, will be represented by Guardian Angel, a maiden who finished third in her July 29 debut. The homebred daughter of Jess's Dream is a half-sister to Sing Praises, who won the 2014 Dr. Fager and In Reality, and Spirit Wind, a multiple-stakes winner who finished second behind Ce Ce in this year's Princess Rooney (G2) at Gulfstream.
Trainer Ralph Nicks has named Edwin Gonzalez to ride Guardian Angel.
Harold Lerner LLC and AWC Stables and Magdalena Racing and Nehoc Stables' High Fashion Lady, a Kenny McPeek-trained daughter of Awesome Slew who broker her maiden at Colonial Downs in her second career start; and Smith Ranch Stables' Girl Bye, a Luis Ramirez-trained daughter of Cajun Breeze who finished off the board in the Desert Vixen after finishing a distant third in the Astoria at Belmont; round out the field.
The Susan's Girl will be followed Oct. 1 by the $400,000 My Dear Girl.
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