Tate's Landing, impressive 3 1/4-length winner of the $100,000 Laurel Futurity in his first try on turf Oct. 27, will face a bigger test in a deeper field of 10 juveniles drawn for the $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 15.
The one-mile Dania Beach is scheduled as race nine on a 10-race card, with an approximate post time of 4:35 p.m. EST.
Jockey Alex Cintron will be back aboard Tate's Landing, a son of Orientate purchased by Copper Penny Stable for $72,000 at the OBS 2012 Spring 2-year-olds in training sale. Tate's Landing made three starts sprinting on dirt before his most recent at Laurel. He won his career debut at Delaware Park by 5 1/2 lengths, finished second in an allowance at Parx Racing, and ran fifth in a Delaware allowance, setting the pace. He was favored in all three.
"We always thought he was a nice horse," said trainer Michael Pino, who has eight runners stabled at Palm Meadows and divisions at Parx and Laurel this winter as well. "He won his first start impressively and got beat by a pretty nice horse in his second race at Parx. Then he got in a speed duel and tired in his third race.
"We decided to change his style for the Laurel Futurity and take him off the pace, and it obviously worked out well. I really don't think it was just the turf that made the difference. We'll certainly consider going back to dirt at some point."
Another accomplished juvenile with a stakes victory already and with one previous start on turf is Trilogy Stable and Laurie Plesa's Itsmyluckyday , a $110,000 purchase at the OBS 2012 select 2-year-olds in training sale. Jockey Paco Lopez makes up part of a 120-pound co-high weight for the Dania for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr.
Itsmyluckyday won three of five starts at Calder Race Course & Casino, including the Foolish Pleasure Stakes going a mile and 70 yards on the main track by three lengths in September. The son of Lawyer Ron was somewhat of a disappointment last out, finishing sixth in the $1 million Delta Jackpot (gr. III) going 1 1/16 miles at Delta Downs on Nov. 17.
"A lot of things seemed to go against him in that race," Plesa remarked. "The circumference of the track (three-quarters of a mile) was new to him, and he wasn't as close to the pace as we had hoped. Several factors were involved and it really wasn't that bad a race. All of his races before that were good and he ran well on the turf the only time we tried him."
Itsmyluckyday finished third, sprinting, in the Tyro Stakes at Monmouth Park in early August.
"We're hoping this race tells us what he's going to be—turf or dirt—or both," remarked Plesa.
Plesa's brother-in-law John Servis also has a promising contender in the Dania Beach in Main Line Racing Stables and Thistle Spring Stable's Hard to Name, who will be making his first start on turf and first around two turns under jockey Joe Bravo.
By Hard Spun , Hard to Name has won his last two starts sprinting on dirt at Parx after a pair of seconds there to begin his career, but shows a turf work since arriving at Palm Meadows for the season last month.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Ken and Sarah Ramsey's Charming Kitten with John Velazquez aboard in his first start since finishing ninth when bumped hard in the Oct. 8 Dixiana Breeders' Futurity (gr. I) on Polytrack at Keeneland, beaten only 4 1/4 lengths.
A Kentucky homebred by Kitten's Joy , Charming Kitten won his career debut on turf at Saratoga Race Course in late July and came back with a good third-place try in the With Anticipation Stakes in late August when beaten only 1 1/4 lengths by highly regarded Balance the Books .
John Davidson's filly Mystic Love, Steven Michael Bell's Newfound Zapper, William Churly's Thunder Calls, Donegal Racing's Squall King, Shivananda Racing's All Keyed Up and Gilbert Campbell's Reporting Star complete the field. Rosa Stephany Taveras' Sr. Quisqueyano is entered for the main track only.
$100,000 Dania Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 9, approximate post 4:35 p.m. EST) 2YOs, one mile (turf)
PP, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Tate's Landing (KY), A. Cintron, 116, M V Pino
2. Mystic Love (MD), E. Trujillo, 113, J J Campitelli
3. Itsmyluckyday (KY), P. Lopez, 120, E Plesa, Jr.
4. Newfound Zapper (KY), J. Rosario, 116, W A Ward
5. Thunder Calls (FL), J. Lezcano, 116, S L DiMauro
6. Squall King (KY), C.J. Lanerie, 116, D L Romans
7. Hard to Name (KY), J. Bravo, 116, J C Servis
8. All Keyed Up (FL), L. Saez, 116, S Parbhoo
9. Reporting Star (FL), E.O. Nunez, 116, K O'Connell
10. Charming Kitten (KY), J. Velazquez, 116, T A Pletcher
11. Sr. Quisquevano (FL) (MTO), J.R. Velazquez, 120, L Olivares
