Gamay Noir, who snapped a five-race losing streak when she captured the Rampart Stakes (gr. III), tops a field of eight fillies and mares that will go postward in the $150,000 Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. III) April 19 at Hawthorne Race Course.
The 1 1/8-mile contest, named after Illinois multiple graded stakes-winning filly Sixty Sails, is the eighth race on the card and is slated for 5:10 p.m. CDT. It precedes the $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. III).
Gamay Noir was bumped at the start of the 1 1/8-mile Rampart March 29 at Gulfstream Park, but recovered and got up late to score an impressive three-quarter-length victory over Unlimited Budget at 49-1 odds. She is trained by Marty Wolfson, who claimed her for $100,000 on behalf of Chasing Tail Stables in January at Gulfstream.
Bred in Kentucky by Fares Farm, the 4-year-old daughter of Harlan's Holiday—Uncork, by Unbridled, holds an overall career record of 4-0-4 from 15 starts, for earnings of $195,366.
Carrying 117 pounds, Gamay Noir has morning line odds of 9-2 and will be ridden for the first time by Tim Thornton from post 7.
Also toting 117 pounds are Imposing Grace and Flashy American.
The Kenny McPeek-trained Flashy American, who won a trio of stakes at three different tracks last year for Preston Stables, is looking for her first victory since last September's Locust Grove at Churchill Downs. In her sole start this year, the 5-year-old mare ran sixth, beaten 9 3/4 lengths, in the Azeri Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park March 15. She is the 3-1 morning line favorite and will be piloted by Christopher Emigh from the 2-post.
Imposing Grace captured last year's Arlington Matron Stakes (gr. III) for trainer Wayne Catalano and owner Coffeepot Stables but has been winless in four starts since. She enters the Sixty Sails off a runner-up effort in an allowance/optional claiming event at Oaklawn March 20. Imposing Grace, who has morning line odds of 10-1, will break from the far outside under Channing Hill.
Also worthy of consideration is Glen Hill Farm's Dress the Part, who is seeking her fourth consecutive victory. Trained by Tom Proctor, the daughter of Malibu Moon most recently won the March 15 Wayward Lass Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in her first start on dirt around two turns. It was also her stakes debut.
Rounding out the field is millionaire Dixie Strike, who ran second in this year's Bayakoa Stakes at Oaklawn; Brazilian group II winner Ana Luisa; and former claimers Sonja's Angel and Distinctive Review. The latter filly is to make her stakes debut in her 18th start.
$150,000 Sixty Sails Handicap (gr. III, approximate post time 5:10 p.m. CDT), fillies and mares, 3YOs & Up, 1 1/8 miles (dirt)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer, ML Odds
1. Sonja's Angel (KY), M Garcia, 115, P R Walder, 7-2
2. Flashy American (KY), C A Emigh, 117, K G McPeek, 3-1
3. Distinctive Review (KY), H Rose, 112, P Darjean, 20-1
4. Dixie Strike (ON), M Mena,117, M E Casse, 4-1
5. Ana Luisa (BRZ), R Napravnik, 116, T A Pletcher, 5-1
6. Dress the Part (KY), R D Allen, Jr., 116, T F Proctor, 8-1
7. Gamay Noir (KY), T Thornton, 117, M D Wolfson, 9-2
8. Imposing Grace (KY), C Hill, 117, W M Catalano, 10-1