OLD HAT TOPS FOUR NEW YEARS STAKES AT GULFSTREAM
Gulfstream Park will play host to a quartet of stakes races on the Holiday to kick off 2013, with the $100,000 Old Hat S. (G3) the lone graded event. Two-time Grade 2 queen Kauai Katie was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile fillies (G1) last out, and cuts back in this trip for Todd Pletcher. The $490,000 daughter of Malibu Moon was superb in her first three wins to start her career, all in easy fashion, and we’ll surely give her a pass for her latest effort. The rail looks to be the lone possible obstacle for the favorite.
Hoping to knock the morning line choice off will be recent stakes third Power Lady, Sandpiper S. heroine Cor Cor, longshot Cupids Messenger and recent Gin Talking S. vixen She’s All Scat.
Also on Tuesday, sophomores will get their first step on the road to the Florida Derby in the $100,000 Gulfstream Park Derby. Mark Casse’s impressive stakes winner Star Contender, Foolish Pleasure S. winner Itsmyluckyday, the talented and unbeaten Purple Egg and Wesley Ward’s Undrafted, look like the top players in this spot.
The $100,000 Spectacular Bid S. drew six sophomores, led by exquisite debut winner Little Distorted, three-time stakes star Brave Dave and the talented Merit Man, who suffered his lone defeat when a strong second on the Breeders’ Cup undercard for trainer Bob Hess.
Closing out the stakes action is the $75,000 Ginger Brew S. for fillies on the lawn. A full field of 14 is set to run in this 1 1/16 miles test in arguably the most wide open race on the card.