Mambo Meister, second in last year's Miami Mile Handicap (gr. IIIT), is back for the opening-day feature at Calder Casino & Race Course April 25, where he will face Sunshine Millions Turf winner Jet Propulsion.
A field of 11 was entered in the Miami Mile, a turf event, with the speedy Jet Propulsion assigned top weight of 119 pounds.
Trained by Marty Wolfson, the Farnsworth Farms' homebred Jet Propulsion bounded away to an uncontested lead in the Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30 and held sway in the 1 1/8-mile event by two lengths in an excellent time of 1:45.96.
The 7-year-old gelding by Double Honor has raced twice since, finishing third in Gulfstream's Canadian Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) Feb. 20 and fourth in the Mervyn H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap (gr. IIT) at Fair Grounds March 27. Jet Propulsion set the pace each time before yielding late.
Wolfson, who also entered Team Valor International's outsider Stones River, has named Elvis Trujillo to ride both horses. Wolfson also has Motovato, who would be making his turf debut, and Gentleman James, with one previous start on grass, in the field.
Jet Propulsion, who drew post 8, leads the field in earnings with $591,523 and has won 13 times in 47 starts. He has been especially effective at Calder, where he owns a 10-8-1 mark in 27 outings.
Quantum Racing's Mambo Meister was crowded on the turn in last year's Miami Mile and rallied belatedly to finish 1 1/2 lengths behind the victorious Wesley. Trained by Philip Gleaves, the 5-year-old King Cugat gelding is winless in three starts this year, most recently finishing eighth in the one-mile Canadian Turf.
All seven of Mambo Meister's lifetime wins in 26 races have come at Calder, although five were on the main track. The last victory for the earner of $361,505 was in the Spend A Buck Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 17. Mambo Meister is reunited here with Manoel Cruz, who rode him in the Spend A Buck. They break from post 9.
Also returning from last year's Miami Mile is Fearless Eagle, who ran third, beaten by 2 3/4 lengths. Trained by Edward Plesa Jr. for Isaac Muhtar, the 6-year-old has lost nine successive races since winning Tampa Bay Downs' Turf Classic more than a year ago. He is coming off a fourth-place finish in a one-mile allowance heat at Gulfstream April 3.
Edward P. Evans' Virginia homebred Pleasant Strike, from the Todd Pletcher barn, is a supplemental entry. He won the Arlington Classic last June.
Trainer Christophe Clement is represented by Susan Karches' March to Victory, seeking his first stakes win while stuck in the far outside post. The 6-year-old son of Dixieland Band is coming off a 1 1/16-mile turf victory in a $50,000 claiming race at Gulfstream.
Pinckney Hill brings back-to-back wins on the Gulfstream turf for trainer Angel Penna Jr. and also bids for his first stakes victory for owners Lazy F Ranch and William S. Farish.
$100,000 Miami Mile Handicap (gr. IIIT, Race 8, 4:18 p.m.), 3 & Up (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Storm Caller (KY), E Castro, 112, G Weaver
2. Motovato (KY), L Saez, 114, M D Wolfson
3. Stones River (KY), E Trujillo, 113, M D Wolfson
4. Pinckney Hill (KY), R Maragh, 115, A J Penna Jr.
5. Dream Maestro (FL), J C Leyva, 112, W A Kaplan
6. Pleasant Strike (VA), C P DeCarlo, 116, T A Pletcher
7. Fearless Eagle (FL), P Lopez, 116, E Plesa Jr.
8. Jet Propulsion (FL), E Trujillo, 119, M D Wolfson
9. Mambo Meister (KY), M R Cruz, 118, P A Gleaves
10. Gentleman James (KY), J Bravo, 114, M D Wolfson
11. March to Victory (ON), J Bravo, 115, C Clement
Mambo Meister faces Jet Propulsion and 9 others in the Miami Mile.
Jim Lisa Photos