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Amira's Prince, owned by Wachtel Stable and Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, attempts to extend his U.S. unbeaten streak to five when he comes off a 10-month layoff in $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (gr. IT) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 9.
The former Irish-trained son of Teofilo—Twice the Ease by Green Desert came to the States having established himself as hard-knocking, consistent handicapper. He won under 131 pounds and was beaten a nose in his final European start carrying 135 pounds for trainer David Wachman.
Turned over to Bill Mott after arriving here late in 2012, he proceeded to win a pair of allowance/optional claimers at Gulfstream, going 1 1/2 miles and 1 3/8 miles. Mott moved him up to stakes company and he continued his winning ways by capturing the MacDiarmida Stakes (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream and the Mervin Muniz Jr. Handicap (gr. IIT) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.
He returned to serious training in December and has turned in a series of steady works, including a bullet half-mile breeze at Payson Park Jan. 20.
Amira’s Prince, who will face seven opponents, drew post 6 and will carry 117 pounds with John Velazquez aboard.
He’s going to have to be at his best to defeat the likes of Boisterous, Imagining, Summer Front, and Charming Kitten.
Boisterous developed into one of the top turf stars last year under the care of Shug McGaughey, winning the Man o’War Stakes (gr. IT) and Monmouth Stakes (gr. IIT) after having won the Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIT) and Knickerbocker Stakes (gr. IIIT) in 2012. But the son Distorted Humor was beaten in his final three starts last year.
Despite his productive year and having earned $1.3 million in his career, owner Gary Barber sent him to Todd Pletcher, for whom he will make his first start in the Gulfstream Turf Handicap.
He drew post 8 and will have the services of Javier Castellano.
McGaughey, despite losing Boisterous and the recently retired Point of Entry , still will be well represented by Imagining, a son of Giant's Causeway who is coming off victories in the overnight Bowl Game Stakes at Belmont in October and the Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct Nov. 16. His best effort prior to that was a second in the grade I Hollywood Derby back in 2011.
Joel Rosario returns aboard the 6-year-old and will break from post 7 under 116 pounds.
Summer Front, a multiple grade II winner, is coming of a victory in the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream Jan. 11, in which he defeated Tetradrachm and Nikki's Sandcastle, both of whom will be in the lineup on Sunday.
Charming Kitten, another of the successful Ken and Sarah Ramsey-owned sons of Kitten's Joy , won his last start in allowance company and has placed in a number of stakes, including the grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and grade II Virginia Derby.
He also is trained by Pletcher and will have Jose Lezcano aboard.
Rounding out the field in Lochte, who is making his stakes debut after capturing a maiden race and allowance race in his last three starts.
The Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap is part of the debut "The Jockey Club Tour on FOX" racing series with a 5:31 p.m. EST scheduled post time on Fox Sports 1.
PP/Horse/Jockey/Trainer
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1 |
|
|
|
112 |
|||
|
2 |
|
|
|
114 |
|||
|
3 |
|
|
|
115 |
|||
|
4 |
|
|
|
115 |
|||
|
5 |
|
|
|
117 |
|||
|
6 |
|
|
|
117 |
|||
|
7 |
|
|
|
116 |
|||
|
8 |
|
|
|
119 |
