When last seen, Wild Promises was scoring in the $500,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Jan. 24 at Gulfstream Park, her sixth consecutive stakes win. Since then, the California-based mare has returned home for trainer Greg Gilchrist, but now the duo is back in Florida for more and they will look to add to their bankroll March 7 in the $100,000 Honey Fox (gr. IIIT).
A 5-year-old daughter of Wild Event—Frosty Promise, by Frosty the Snowman, Wild promises will face 13 rivals in the one-mile turf contest, including Virginia Oaks (gr. IIIT) winner I Lost My Choo, as well as Scolara and Love Cove, who both enter off stakes triumphs. Post time is set for 5:45 p.m. (EDT) in Gulfstream’s Saturday feature.
An earner of more than $650,000, remarkably consistent Wild Promises has won 12 times and has never been off the board in 17 lifetime starts. Bred in Florida by the late Arthur Appleton, she began her win streak back in May when taking the Mother’s Day Handicap at Bay Meadows, and then reeled off three more victories in California before closing out her season with a one-length score in the Dec. 6 My Charmer Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Calder Race Course in her graded stakes debut.
Wild Promises, who will break from post 2 with Aaron Gryder in the irons, is owned by the estate of Harry J. Aleo. She is 4-1-1 from six starts at the Honey Fox distance, another reason she will be the probable post time choice.
Flying Zee Stable’s
I Lost My Choo also has a couple of wins at a mile, including the Elmont Stakes back in June, which was the first of consecutive wins. The New York-bred daughter of
Western Expression followed with a 1 1/2-length triumph in the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs, which was her first graded stakes victory. She closed out her 3-year-old campaign with a fifth-place finish in the Lake Placid (gr. IIT) in August at Saratoga.
I Lost My Choo enters off a nearly seven-month layoff for trainer Philip Serpe, but turned in a bullet work at Palm Meadows Training Center Feb. 27, when she was clocked at 1:01.60 for five furlongs on the turf. Jose Lezcano picks up the mount for regular rider Edgar Prado, who is in California for the weekend. They will break from the rail.
Haras Santa Maria Araras’
Scolara enters off an impressive win in the one-mile Marion County Stakes Feb. 9 on the Gulfstream turf, her 4-year-old debut. The
Quiet American filly finished third to Acoma in the Mrs. Revere (gr. IIT) as a sophomore and seems to be rounding into her best form. Trained by Bill Mott, Scolara has two wins and a runner-up in three starts over the Gulfstream grass and has missed the board just once in 10 lifetime starts. Paco Lopez will ride for the first time.
Laue Ranch’s New York-bred
Love Cove makes her 5-year-old debut for trainer Tom Albertrani after finishing last season with consecutive restricted stakes victories. The
Not For Love mare went wire-to-wire in the nine-furlong Ticonderoga Handicap at Belmont in October and then came back the following month to take the one-mile Shopping For Love Stakes at Aqueduct after pressing the pace. This will be her first test in open company. Kent Desormeaux, who was aboard Scolara last race, will ride Love Cove.
$100,000 Honey Fox Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 10, 5:45 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 4 & Up, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. I Lost My Choo (NY), 122, Jose Lezcano
2. Wild Promises (FL), 122, Aaron T. Gryder
3. Cocktail Attire (KY), 120, Manoel R. Cruz
4. Audacious Chloe (KY), 120, Christopher P. DeCarlo
5. Love Cove (NY), 120, Kent J. Desormeaux
6. Lemonlime (KY), 120, Willie Martinez
7. Scolara (FL), 120, Rene R. Douglas
8. Ashley River (FL), 120, Paco Lopez
9. Flibberjibit (KY), 118, Javier Castellano
10. Fancy Fusaichi (KY), 120, E. T. Baird
11. Social Queen (KY), 122, Carlos H. Marquez, Jr.
12. Dattts Our Girl (KY), 114, Jermaine V. Bridgmohan
13. Tejida (KY), 116, Joe Bravo
14. Waquoit's Love (MD), 120, Elvis Trujillo
AE Rustic Flame (IRE), 114, Joe Bravo
