Three probable starters in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I) Feb. 5 at Gulfstream Park -- Giant Oak , Eldaafer and Rule -- posted workouts during the morning of Jan. 30.
At Gulfstream, Virginia Tarra Trust’s 5-year-old Giant Oak worked five furlongs in :59 3/5 and Alghuwayriyah’ Stable’s 6-year-old gelding Eldaafer a half-mile in :48 3/5. WinStar Farm’s 4-year-old Rule earned a "bullet" for his five-eighths drill at Palm Meadows with a 1:00 4/5 clocking.
Illinois homebred Giant Oak won the Clark Handicap (gr. I) via the disqualification of Successful Dan for interference at Churchill Downs Nov. 26. Chris Block trains the son of Giant's Causeway --Crafty Oak, by Crafty Prospector. The victory ended a 14-race losing streak for the lifetime earner of $956,677.
Eldaafer, a son of A.P. Indy--Habibti, by Tabasco Cat, won the Breeders' Cup Marathon (gr. III) Nov. 5 at Churchill for trainer Diane Alvarado. He is on a three-race winning streak.
Rule, a multiple graded winner from the Todd Pletcher barn who ran third in last year's Florida Derby (gr. I), returned from a layoff of more than nine months to run second in Gulfstream's Hal's Hope Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 8. He is a son of Roman Ruler out of the Personal Flag mare Rockcide.
The 53rd edition of the 1 1/8-mile Donn highlights a graded stakes triple-header at Gulfstream along with the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (gr. IT) at 1 1/8 miles and the $150,000 Suwannee River Stakes (gr. IIIT) for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf.
Others expected to contest the Donn are Fly Down, Morning Line , I Want Revenge and Square Eddie . The latter was due to arrive from California later on Jan. 30.
Giant Oak
Lou Hodges Jr.