The rubber match between Joseph V. Shields, Jr.’s 6-year-old mare Any Limit and Zabeel Racing International’s 4-year-old filly Game Face is set for the March 15 Inside Information Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park.
A field of six fillies and mares was drawn for the $150,000 Inside Information, formerly known as the Shirley Jones Handicap, and the seven-furlong test will share the spotlight on the program with the $150,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-old fillies on turf.
Regular rider Cornelio Velasquez will be back aboard Any Limit for Hall of Fame trainer Allen Jerkens after teaming up to win the 6 ½-furlong Hurricane Bertie Stakes (gr. II) going wire-to-wire on Feb.15 by 1 ¼ lengths over 2-to-5 favorite Game Face.
That decision reversed the result of the First Lady Stakes (gr. III) on Jan. 18. A Kentucky homebred by Limit Out, Any Limit won the Hurricane Bertie in 2007, and after missing the winter season here last year, swept the First Flight Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont Park and Honorable Miss Handicap (gr. II) at Saratoga over the summer.
Jockey John R. Velazquez will be back aboard Game Face for trainer Todd Pletcher. The chestnut daughter of Menifee won the Old Hat Stakes (gr. III) here by seven lengths and the La Troienne Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs last year. She scored by 2 ¾ lengths over Any Limit in the First Lady.
The two rivals face a formidable new opponent in Mary and Gary West’s 4-year-old filly Keep the Peace with Julien Leparoux in the saddle after an impressive allowance victory by 2 ½ lengths going six furlongs over the track on Feb. 21 in her first start since late May.
Trained by Eddie Kenneally, the chestnut daughter of Touch Gold had a strong, but frustrating 3-year-old campaign, finishing second in three graded stakes, including a nose loss in the Forward Gal Stakes here and the La Troienne at Churchill week when beaten a neck by Game Face.
The ‘wild card’ in the field will be Stanley Seelig’s 5-year-old mare Precious Kiss, shipping in from New Orleans with jockey John Jacinto coming along for the ride. Trained by Patrick Mouton, Precious Kiss is a daughter of Kissin Krisand won the Pan Zareta Stakes last out on Feb. 7 at Fair Grounds.
Completing the field are a pair of contenders trained by Marty Wolfson – Miklin Stable’s 6-year-old mare Stormin Mon, Jermaine Bridgmohan; and Farnsworth Stable’s 4-year-old filly Pious Ashley, Javier Castellano.
Inside Information Stakes (gr. II), $150,000, Seven Furlongs, Fillies and Mares, Four Year Olds and Upward
Post--Horse Name--Weight--Jockey
1--Stormin Mon (KY), 116, Jermaine V. Bridgmohan
2--Any Limit (KY), 122, Cornelio H. Velasquez
3--Keep the Peace (NY), 118, Julien R. Leparoux
4--Precious Kiss (FL), 120, John Jacinto
5--Game Face (KY), 122, John R. Velazquez
6--Pious Ashley (KY), 114, Javier Castellano