Peter Fuller's 3-year-old Florida homebred filly Trip for A.J. has the look of an emerging star at this Calder Casino & Race Course meet for veteran trainer Milt Wolfson, and looks like the horse to beat in Saturday's $55,000 Ms. Brookski overnight stakes if the race goes as scheduled at 7 ½ furlongs on turf or wet conditions force the race to the main track.
Jockey Javier Santiago has been aboard Trip for A.J. for three straight victories, although the first came on a stewards' disqualification after she finished second by a nose in the Noble Robyn overnight stakes going 1 1/16 miles on turf on June 27.
A chestnut daughter of Trippi, Trip for A.J. has since won the $65,000 Nancy's Glitter Handicap on the main track by 3 ¼ lengths on July 24 with heavy favorite Sweet Repent third and a ‘money' allowance last out on Aug. 7 by 7 ¾ lengths after that one mile race was forced off turf to the main track.
A full field of 12 fillies and mares was drawn for Saturday's race and other contenders that will attract support include Rose Family Stable's 3-year-old Joanie's Catch and Farnsworth Stable's 4-year-old Toocleverforwords, one-two last out, separated by a nose in a ‘two other than' allowance on Aug. 22 that was scheduled for turf but run at one mile on the main track.
Jockey Daniel Coa rides Joanie's Catch for co-owner, breeder and trainer Barry Rose. The chestnut daughter of First Tour was winning for the first time in 11 starts this year, but was four times Graded stakes-placed at Gulfstream Park early in the season and has posted career earnings of more than $400,000. However, Joanie's Catch has run on turf only twice, finishing third in a five-furlong sprint and eighth in the other.
Jockey Jermaine Bridgmohan is named to ride Toocleverforwords as she makes her third start for Farnsworth and trainer Marty Wolfson since a private purchase following a turf allowance victory at Belmont Park in late May. The daughter of Arch has finished second in both ‘off the turf' allowance events here and appears likely best on grass.
Completing the field are Vegso Racing Stable's Entertaining, Just For Fun Stable's Our Proud Lady, Pinnacle Racing Stable's Musical Romance, Farnsworth Stable's Diva d'Oro, Kaye McGlothin's Stacy On The Wire, New Phoenix Stable's Gorgeous Melody, Rosseau Racing's Atlantic Hurricane, A and V Investments' Dancing Rage and Pedro Maestre's Aroma de Mujer.
Two others left on the ‘also-eligible' list appear to have their best chance if the Ms. Brookski comes off turf. Ersoff Racing Stable's 6-year-old homebred mare Even Road finished a game second last out behind Trip for A.J. in the Nancy's Glitter Handicap and has been a steady performer in the filly and mare stakes ranks on the main track here the last several seasons.
The intriguing prospect is Farnsworth's 5-year-old mare Amazing, claimed for $75,000 last out on Aug. 19 at Saratoga when beaten a head in a nine-furlong main track event and now trained by Marty Wolfson.
A chestnut daughter of Greatness, Amazing has made 10 of her 22 career starts at Calder with four victories and two seconds when racing for breeder Marilyn Seltzer, the first nine in 2008 for trainer Terry Oliver. She scored her biggest career win in the $200,000 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap on Florida Million day that fall.
Amazing spent the summer and fall of 2009 in Canada at Woodbine with trainer Brian Lynch and returned to Palm Meadows last winter in time to finish a game second by a nose in the $100,000 Stage Door Betty Handicap (G3) here on Dec. 26 behind Sweet Repent. She went to finish in the Sabin Handicap (G3) in late February at Gulfstream before a private sale to New York connections prior to the claim last out.
Stallion Stakes Eligible Wickedly Perfect a Favorite at Del Mar
The most prolific of sires with 2-year-olds eligible for this year's 29th Florida Stallion Stakes series at Calder Casino & Race Course is Congrats with 37 of his offspring listed, and one of the most accomplished is STD Racing Stable and partners' filly Wickedly Perfect, who will be among the favorites for Saturday's $250,000 Darley Debutante Stakes (G1) at Del Mar for leading Del Mar trainer Doug O'Neill.
Wickedly Perfect is a roan/gray purchased for $70,000 at the OBS April 2-year-old sales and has won both of her starts -- her debut at Hollywood Park by 4 ¾ lengths on June 27 and the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes (G3) at Del Mar on Aug. 6 to help buoy Congrats to his current status as North America's leading freshman sire. Congrats is a son of A.P. Indy that earned just short of $1 million.
The Desert Vixen and Susan's Girl Divisions of the Stallion Stakes last month were won impressively by Jacks or Better Farms' undefeated filly Awesome Feather. That leaves the $375,000 My Dear Girl Division finale to be run on Festival of the Sun day, Sat., Oct. 16 to at 1 1/16 miles as the final opportunity for this year's FSS eligible crop, well-timed three weeks before the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs.