Wynn Dot Comma Looms Favorite in Spectacular Bid

Martin Cherry's stakes-winner Wynn Dot Comma has been installed as the 9-5 favorite in a field of seven 3-year-olds set to contest the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Saturday.

Wynn Dot Comma enters the six-furlong Spectacular Bid off a second-place finish to Sir Oscar in the Nov. 15 Jack Price Juvenile Stakes at Calder Race Course for trainer Martin Wolfson. That was Wynn Dot Comma's first loss in five career starts.

Prior to the Jack Price Juvenile, Wynn Dot Comma (Struggler -- I Like Punch, by Two Punch) won a maiden race at Tampa Bay Downs, an allowance race at Calder, then won the Here Comes My Baby and Birdonthewire Stakes, both also at Calder.

Smokume, a gelding by Smoke Glacken owned by Hobeau Farm, is the 3-1 second-choice based on his win in the Cowdin Stakes at Belmont Park and second-place finish in the Nov. 16 Huntington Stakes at Aqueduct in his previous start. Smokume is trained by Allen Jerkens.

Robert La Penta's Ghost Mountain won two of six starts as a juvenile with one second and a third. Trained by Nick Zito, the son of Silver Ghost's previous start was third-place finish in the Nov. 15 Laurel Futurity (gr. III) won by Tapit.

The field in post position order with jockey, weight, and morning line odds:
1. Fortunate Buy, Jose Santos, 116, 15-1
2. Ghost Mountain, Edgar Prado, 120, 4-1
3. Smokume, Shannon Uske, 120, 3-1
4. Wynn Dot Comma, Joe Bravo, 120, 9-5
5. Saratoga County, John Velazquez, 116, 6-1
6. Heart of Jules, Eddie Castro, 116, 10-1
7. Excellent Band, Harry Vega, 120, 5-1