Multiple grade II winner Kauai Katie tops the names of horses scheduled to start the new year at Gulfstream Park, which has four stakes on tap for the Jan. 1, 2013 race card.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for Stonestreet Stable, the daughter of Malibu Moon will kick off her 3-year-old campaign in the $100,000 Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) at six furlongs.
Victorious in her first three career starts, including wins in the grade II Adirondack and Matron Stakes, Kauai Katie prompted the pace before finishing fourth in the $2 million Grey Goose Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park Nov. 3.
"It wasn't a bad race. It was probably a little farther than she wants to go," said Pletcher. "She'll probably be best at sprint distances for now and this is a good spot to get started. If that goes well then we'll look at the ($200,000) Forward Gal (gr. II)," referring to the seven-furlong test Jan. 26.
Pletcher also reported on plans for Stonestreet's other top 2-year-old filly of 2011, Dreaming of Julia, a winner of her first three races in New York before finishing third in the BC Juvenile Fillies.
A Kentucky homebred daughter of A.P. Indy produced from the grade I winner Dream Rush (by Wild Rush), Dreaming of Julia has not posted a workout since arriving at Palm Meadows from California after the Breeders' Cup. Pletcher indicated that the first target for her will likely be the $250,000 Davona Dale Stakes (gr. II) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 23.
Pletcher said E. Paul Robsham Stable's 4-year-old filly R Holiday Mood will not defend her title in the $100,000 Ocala Stakes at one mile Dec. 30.
"I just ran out of time with her," said Pletcher of the Florida homebred daughter of Trippi.
Following her victory in the Ocala, R Holiday Mood won the Hurricane Bertie Stakes (gr. III) in mid-February and finished a close-up fourth behind 2011 Eclipse champion Musical Romance in the Inside Information Stakes (gr. II) in March.
Kauai Katie
Coglianese Photos