Havant and Clarinet head a field of eight fillies and mares entered for the $100,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Calder Race Course & Casino Nov. 30, but the lightly raced sophomore Ciao Bella could make an impact on the Florida oval's closing day.
The La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIIT), 1 1/2 miles on the turf for older fillies and mares, is the first of two graded stakes at Calder Nov. 30 and is carded as race seven with an approximate post of 3:05 p.m. EST. The other feature is the 1 1/8-mile Tropical Turf Handicap (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds and up, scheduled as race 10 with an approximate post of 4:23 p.m.
Havant, a 4-year-old daughter of Halling bred in Great Britain, will make her second stateside start in the La Prevoyante. Previously trained by Freddy Head, she is now under the supervision of Christophe Clement. Her North American debut for owner James Wigan came with a fifth in the Oct. 14 E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-IT) at Woodbine, but that performance may have been better than indicated by the placing. Off slowly at the start, she trailed the field for much of the 1 1/4-mile test, and was still 10th at the top of the stretch before rallying widest of all to get fifth by a head.
Clarinet, a 5-year-old Giant's Causeway mare, has not raced since winning the Sept. 29 Flaming Page Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths going 1 1/2 miles on the Woodbine turf for trainer Josie Carroll.
Sophomore Ciao Bella, however, was second in the Oct. 21 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes going 1 1/2 miles on the Keeneland lawn. She missed by three-quarters of a length to Upperline after running fourth in the Garden City (gr. IT), her graded stakes debut at Belmont Park in which she inherited the lead in the stretch after pressing the pace early on. Todd Pletcher trains the Giant's Causeway filly for Michael Tabor.
Closing Range is another lightly raced 3-year-old who could prove dangerous. Previously with three wins including the Aug. 26 Twin Light Stakes going 1 1/8 miles at Monmouth Park and a second, she finished eighth last time out in her first stakes attempt, the Oct. 19 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) going 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland turf. The After Market filly is trained by Philip Oliver.
Local stakes winner My Pal Chrisy steps back into graded company and tries turf after romping by 7 1/4 lengths over seven others in the Nov. 11 Elmer Heubeck Distaff Handicap on dirt. The 4-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Alex's Pal has raced primarily on dirt this season, with just a fifth in Keeneland's Doubledogdare Stakes (gr. III) on Polytrack and an eighth in an optional claimer on the lawn at Churchill Downs. That Churchill turf test was her only career outing on the grass in 31 starts. Padarath Lutchman trains.
Allowance winners Centring, Thislilsoulofmine (fourth in this race in 2011), and Peekable Sue complete the field.
$100,000 La Prevoyante Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 7, approximate post 3:05 p.m. EST), fillies & mares 3YO & Up, 1 1/2 miles (turf)
PP., Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. My Pal Chrisy (FL), L. Panici, 115, P Lutchman
2. Ciao Bella (KY), J.R. Velazquez, 113, T A Pletcher
3. Closing Range (KY), E. Trujillo, 114, P J Oliver
4. Clarinet (KY), J. Bravo, 117, J Carroll
5. Centring, L. Saez, 114, T Albertrani
6. Peekable Sue (FL), L. Panici, 111, W A Kaplan
7. Thislilsoulofmine (ON), P Lopez, 115, R L Attfield
8. Havant (GB), J. Lezcano, 117, C Clement
