Break Water Edison and Hello Broadway, the first two finishers in last fall's Nashua Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct, kick off their 3-year-old campaigns in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 30.
The Hutcheson, which shares top billing with the Forward Gal Stakes (gr. II) for 3-year-old fillies on the Jan. 30 program, are among six graded stakes being offered at Gulfstream Park this weekend.
Also on the weekend slate are the $500,000 Donn Handicap (gr. I) and the $150,000 Holy Bull Stakes (gr. III) Jan. 31, both at nine furlongs, the Holy Bull exclusively for 3-year-olds. On Feb. 1, the $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf (gr. IT) and the $125,000 Suwannee River (gr. IIIT), both turf events for older horses, headline the card.
Seven sophomores are entered in the seven-furlong Hutcheson.
Break Water Edison and Hello Broadway have not raced since the one-mile Nashua Nov. 2, a race won by Break Water Edison by nearly two lengths in an upset over Hello Broadway, who was the 2-1 favorite. Hello Broadway had a rough trip in the Nashua when he was shuffled back nearing the quarter pole and lost considerable ground. Break Water Edison charged ahead while four wide and opened up a clear advantage in the final furlong.
Jockey Alan Garcia was aboard Eli Gindi’s Break Water Edison for the Nashua victory and gets a return call for trainer John Kimmel. The son of Lemon Drop Kid was a $525,000 OBS March 2-year-old purchase and finished second in the Saratoga Special (gr. II) and fourth in Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga. However, he raced very wide into the stretch when eighth of 10 in the Champagne Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont, his last start before the Nashua.
Break Water Edison must contend with the rail post this time.
“It figures that the one hole I didn’t want to get is where we end up,” said Kimmel Jan. 28 at Gulfstream, an hour after sending the bay colt for a ‘bullet’ three-furlong blowout in 36 1/5. “We’ll just have to deal with it.”
Kimmel has his eyes on longer races down the trail and fears getting overcooked in a tough pace this early in the season.
“From the rail, we’re going to have to make our way forward pretty quickly,” he said. “The horses on the outside can sit and see what develops. Our hand is forced somewhat.
“We’re pretty happy with him and looking to see how he came out of his 2-year-old campaign,” said Kimmel. “We’re looking to see a solid effort and gauge how well we’re sitting as we start the year.”
Jockey Edgar Prado will ride Elizabeth Valando’s Hello Broadway for the first time for trainer Barclay Tagg. The Kentucky homebred chestnut by Broken Vow is a half-brother to Valando’s Wood Memorial (gr. I) winner Nobiz Like Shobiz. He finished fifth in the Champagne after a winning debut at Saratoga. Hello Broadway breaks from post 4 and carries 114 pounds, six less than his rival.
Another leading contender in the wide-open field for the Hutcheson is Joseph Rauch and David Zell’s Capt. Candyman Can with regular rider Julien Leparoux in the saddle for trainer Ian Wilkes. The son of Candy Ride won the one-mile Iroquois Stakes (gr. III) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1 and came back with a strong third-place effort in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (gr. II) over the same track one month later.
The Hutcheson, at seven furlongs, will be a cutback in distance, but Wilkes has his eyes farther down the road this 3-year-old season.
“He’ll tell us a lot about where he’s at,” he said. “This race is mainly to see where we stand, get started and see where we go from here.”
Completing the field for the Hutcheson are J. Robert Harris, Jr.’s Bee Cee Cee, Cornelio Velasquez; Mijak Racing Stable’s Salo Jak, Javier Santiago; Live Oak Plantation’s Rocketing Returns, Eibar Coa; and Zayat Stable’s Z Day, John R. Velazquez.
$150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II, Race 8, 4:43 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 7 Furlongs
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, ML Odds
1. Break Water Edison (KY), Alan Garcia, 120, 3/1
2. Bee Cee Cee (FL), Cornelio H. Velasquez, 120, 15/1
3. Capt. Candyman Can (KY), Julien R. Leparoux, 120, 3/1
4. Hello Broadway (KY), Edgar S. Prado, 114, 5/2
5. Salo Jak (FL), Javier Santiago, 120, 8/1
6. Rocketing Returns (FL), Eibar Coa, 116, 5/1
7. Z Day (KY), John R. Velazquez, 114, 6/1
