WinStar Fram’s homebred Cal Nation, an impressive maiden winner in his debut, will make his return in an entry-level allowance race March 19 at Gulfstream.
Cal Nation will try two turns for the first time in the nine-furlong race that drew a field of six. The son of Distorted Humor romped by 7 3/4 lengths in his debut going seven furlongs Feb. 5 at Gulfstream. John Velazquez will have the call once again for trainer Todd Pletcher.
Pletcher will also saddle Dance City, who races for the Estate of Edward P. Evans. The City Zip colt has made two starts, finishing second in his debut as the favorite going a mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 2. The Virginia homebred came back to win a nine-furlong maiden special test Jan. 21, scoring by a length as the odds-on favorite. Javier Castellano has the mount this time.
The Pletcher duo will face a pair with graded stakes experience in their last starts. Trainer Anthony Pecoraro sends out Roman Hill Farm’s I'm Steppin' It Up with Carlos Marquez Jr. named to ride in his first start since finishing a distant third behind Uncle Mo in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont in early October.
Martin Schwartz’ Bowman's Causeway drops back into an allowance and turns back in distance following a respectable fourth-place effort behind Soldat in the nine-furlong Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) on Feb. 26 for trainer Patrick Biancone. The son of Giant's Causeway broke his maiden over the track and distance on Feb. 11 in his third start. Jockey Paco Lopez has the mount.
Post time for the allowance race is set for 1:55 p.m. EDT.