Donald Dizney's 3-year-old Florida homebred filly Haggai won her career debut at Santa Anita last fall for trainer Bob Baffert, most recently finished eighth in a Churchill Downs allowance in early July for trainer Dale Romans, and comes home to Florida making her South Florida debut on Thursday at Calder Casino & Race Course for trainer Wesley Ward.
Jockey Wesley Henry, Sr. is named to ride Haggai in the ‘non-winners of two' test for $25,000 claiming carded for five furlongs on turf. The daughter of Officer placed in a small stakes late last year at Turf Paradise and finished fourth behind highly-regarded Rose Catherine in the Sweet Life Stakes at Santa Anita in January in her only previous try on turf. Haggai gets ‘blinkers on' for Thursday's race.
A solid contender in the field of 10 fillies and mares drawn into the body of Thursday's race is owner-trainer-breeder Jose Tabraue's Cachetone with jockey Luis Jurado aboard after she finished a game third in a similar race over the course last out on Aug. 6 when she held a three-length lead at the eighth pole. The 3-year-old daughter of Pico Central broke her maiden in her only other try on turf here on May 30 for a $32,000 tag.
Dropping into the race for a claiming tag for the first time is Maurice Miller's homebred 3-year-old Tillie the Tigress with Manoel Cruz named to ride for trainer Bill White. The daughter of Tiger Ridge ran in four straight stakes here last year, finishing fourth in the Susan's Girl and My Dear Girl Divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes series, but finished last of eight in her only start this season on June 26.
Completing the field are Tracy Pinchin's Rosalinda, Josue Arce; Steve Dwoskin's Afleet Lass, Juan Delgado; K P Racing's Dazzling Halo, Leo Garcia; Martha Fisher's A Glass of Water, Jose Ortiz; Shadybrook Farm's Aunt Ann, Sixto Ribera; James B. McKathan, Jr.'s Prayfromthewordgo, Albin Jimenez; and Sagely Stable's Magic in the Stars, Carlos Olivero;
Listed ‘also-eligible' for the race are Nancy Baker's Turn Tiger, Richard Monterrey; Farfellow Farm's Believeinthemoment, Luis Saez; and Jose Pinchin's Sittin' On Gold, Angel Moreno.
Cruz Triples on Saturday Card at Calder
The rivalry for leading rider honors between 18-year-old Luis Saez and 40-year-old Manoel Cruz continues day-to-day, race-to-race after nearly four months of the season at Calder Casino & Race Course with Saez winning with three mounts on Thursday and four on Friday and Cruz answering Saturday with three trips to the winners' circle.
That left Saez with a lead of two over Cruz going into Sunday's card at 91-89 with apprentice Angel Moreno far back in third with 49 victories. Luis Jurado ranks fourth with 33 and Eduardo Nunez fifth at 29. Cruz is the defending Calder meet champion and has won the title previously in 2003 and 2006.
Bronx City Girl & Thank U Philippe Lead Sunday Work Tab
Trainer Marty Wolfson had a pair of 3-year-old stakes runners post workouts Sunday morning at Calder as 3-year-old filly Bronx City Girl went an easy half-mile in 51 1/5 and Kramer Stable and William Rosenfeld's 3-year-old colt Thank U Philippe was timed the same distance in 50 2/5.
Bronx City Girl finished a good third last out in the $150,000 Azalea Stakes (G3) on Summit of Speed day, July 10 in her first start in Florida and first for Wolfson after being claimed out of her previous start at Churchill Downs on May 27 for $50,000. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Yankee Gentleman had finished third in a small stakes at Delta Downs in mid-January.
A son of Proud Accolade, Thank U Philippe finished second to Jackson Bend in the In Reality Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes last fall, won the Sophomore Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in early April and third last out as the favorite in the American Dreamer overnight stakes here on July 25.