Bettors should have a bonanza with Gulfstream Park's $100,000 Marshua's River Stakes (gr. IIIT) Jan. 9 after 14 older fillies and mares were entered for the 1 1/16-mile turf event.
The entries include one for the main track only, making 15 overall. The Marshua's River, the ninth race on the program with a probable post of 4:52 p.m. EST, shares top billing on the card with the $100,000 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (gr. IIIT) for males on the turf.
Among the leading Marshua's River contenders is Peter Fuller's Trip for A. J., who shortens up a bit for trainer Milton Wolfson after quite not lasting the distance while finishing second in the nine-furlong My Charmer Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Calder Casino and Race Course Dec. 4. The 4-year-old daughter of Trippi won three stakes last year while compiling six victories overall in 12 starts and earnings of $233,145. John Velazquez retains the mount.
Paul Pompa Jr.'s Mary's Follies looks to rebound from her seventh-place showing as the favorite in the My Charmer while making her Gulfstream Park debut for trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. Mary's Follies won the 2009 Mrs. Revere Stakes (gr. IIT) at Churchill Downs but has raced just twice since then. The 5-year-old More Than Ready mare drew the rail and will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.
C. S. Silk, a stakes winner on turf at Saratoga in September, makes her first start for trainer Dale Romans since tallying by 9 3/4 lengths over an optional claiming field on a yielding Churchill Downs turf course Nov. 28. The 5-year-old daughter of Medaglia d'Oro is owned by Wiliam Pacella, George Bonomo, and Fred Barbara, and will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux.
Carl Pollard's Kiss Mine, a 5-year-old daughter of Mineshaft trained by David Vance, ran second in the Churchill's Cardinal Handicap (gr. IIIT) Nov. 17 and returned to win an overnight stakes on Turfway Park's Polytrack Dec. 11. She put together a four-race winning streak in last year when she earned $249,867. Rajiv Maragh takes the mount.
Lightly raced 4-year-old Wild Mia has been first or second in six of seven lifetime starts for trainer Tom Proctor and Rosemont Stud Syndicate, and comes off a strong second in the 2010 Mrs. Revere.
Cherokee Queen, who has a win and four seconds in six starts at Gulfstream, also figures to get some action. Owned by J. Mack Robinson and trained by Graham Motion, the veteran 6-year-old mare is coming off a fifth-place finish in the Calder's My Charmer.
Jerry Jamgotchian's Satans Quick Chick, who captured Keeneland's 2009 Raven Run Stakes (gr. II) in a 23-1 upset on the Polytrack, looks to hit the board for the first time on grass for trainer Eric Reed.
Wertheimer and Frere's Happy Week is entered for the main track only by trainer Todd Pletcher after delivering allowance scores in three of her past four starts. Velazquez is named on the on the 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor .
$100,000 Marshua's River Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 4:52 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Mary's Follies (KY), J R Leparoux, 118, R E Dutrow, Jr.
2. Never Retreat (KY), C H Marquez Jr., 122, C M Block
3. Cherokee Queen (KY), J Castellano, 122, M D Wolfson
4. Wild Mia (FL), J Lezcano, 122, T F Proctor
5. Trip for A. J. (FL), J R Velazquez, 122, M W Wolfson
6. Sweetest Song (KY), J V Bridgmohan, 118, C A Nafzger
7. Quebrada Shiner (ARG), P Lopez, 118, R Barbara
8. Persuading (KY), J L Castanon, 118, D L Romans
9. Ansong (KY), E Trujillo, 118, M J Trombetta
10. Satans Quick Chick (KY), R B Homeister Jr., 118, E R Reed
11. Kiss Mine (KY), R Maragh, 122, D R Vance
12. C. S. Silk (KY), K J Desormeaux, 122, D L Romans
13. Justaroundmidnight (IRE), J Bravo, 118, P L Biancone
14. Street Gossip (KY), M R Cruz, 118, E Caramori
Main Track Only
15. Happy Week (KY), J R Velazquez, 118, T A Pletcher