Frolic’s Dream leaves the friendly confines of Calder Race Course for the first time and makes her 3-year-old debut when she puts her undefeated record on the line against six rivals in the $100,000 Old Hat Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 4 at Gulfstream Park.
Trained by Marty Wolfson, Frolic’s Dream was impressive in all three of her wins as a juvenile. The daughter of Smoke Glacken—Flashy Frolic (by Premiership) broke her maiden at first asking in September, romped by more than 12 lengths in the 5 1/2-furlong Cassidy Stakes one month later and most recently, went wire-to-wire in the Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies Stakes Nov. 8 while going seven furlongs in 1:24.95.
Owned by Dare To Dream Farm, Frolic’s Dream will once again get the services of regular rider Jermaine Bridgmohan. She will carry top weight of 119 pounds, giving four-to-six pounds to her foes. The gray/roan Florida-bred filly will break from post two in the six-furlong dirt contest.
Melnyk Racing Stables’ homebred Gemswick Park cuts back to six furlongs for the first time since breaking her maiden at that distance by 6 1/2 lengths three starts ago Sept. 24 at Belmont. The good-looking Speightstown filly finished in the money in consecutive graded stakes since then – third in the Frizette (gr. I) and runner-up in the Tempted. She led for four furlongs before weakening in both one-mile contests.
Gemswick Park will break from the outside under John Velazquez, who guided Game Face to a victory in the Old Hat in 2008. She is trained by Tom Albertrani.
Buongiorno A Tutti Stable’s Sweet Repent has done no worse than second in all four of her starts – all at Calder. The daughter of Repent broke her maiden at second asking and captured a 5 1/2-furlong first-level allowance race before finishing runner-up in the Sept. 27 Brave Raj Stakes. Javier Castellano will be in the irons.
Gessler Racing’s Redreamit and Martin Schwartz’s Elusive Heat both make their second career starts after winning in their debuts.
Trained by Ken McPeek, Redreamit broke her maiden by 3 3/4 lengths at Churchill Downs Nov. 23 going 6 1/2 furlongs. The Tapit filly has worked three times at Gulfstream since being shipped to Florida.
Elusive Heat, a $750,000 2-year-old purchase, won by more than five lengths in her debut Oct. 12 at Belmont. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee has been working steadily at Palm Meadows since then, including a bullet four-furlong work in :47.60 on Dec. 17. Edgar Prado rides.
$100,000 Old Hat Stakes (gr. II, Race 8, 4:43 p.m.), 3-Year-Old Fillies, Six Furlongs
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Honchis'n Ponchis (KY), 113, Julien R. Leparoux
2. Frolic's Dream (FL), 119, Jermaine V. Bridgmohan
3. Casanova Move (VA), 113, Alan Garcia
4. Redreamit (KY), 113, Kent J. Desormeaux
5. Elusive Heat (KY), 113, Edgar S. Prado
6. Sweet Repent (FL), 115, Javier Castellano
7. Gemswick Park (KY), 113, John R. Velazquez
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Honchis'n Ponchis (KY), 113, Julien R. Leparoux
2. Frolic's Dream (FL), 119, Jermaine V. Bridgmohan
3. Casanova Move (VA), 113, Alan Garcia
4. Redreamit (KY), 113, Kent J. Desormeaux
5. Elusive Heat (KY), 113, Edgar S. Prado
6. Sweet Repent (FL), 115, Javier Castellano
7. Gemswick Park (KY), 113, John R. Velazquez