Stakes-placed Scrimshaw and impressive allowance winner Lion Tamer lead a short field of six 3-year-olds set to go seven furlongs in the $150,000 Hutcheson Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Saturday.
Scrimshaw arrived at the track Thursday from trainer D. Wayne Lukas's base in Southern California. Owned by Bob and Beverly Lewis, Scrimshaw finished third in the Santa Catalina Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita Jan. 18 in his seasonal and stakes debut. The son of Gulch was a debut winner at Santa Anita in November and followed a month later with an entry-level allowance win in his first start against winners.
Lion Tamer was purchased by Michael Tabor from Peachtree Stable after scoring an entry-level allowance win at Gulfstream by 7 1/2 lengths. In two prior starts, both as a juvenile and at Belmont Park, Lion Tamer finished second to Zavata in May and then broke his maiden four months later.
Spectacular Bid Stakes (gr, III) winner First Blush -- who finished second by three lengths in Lion Tamer's maiden-breaking win -- will start for trainer Allen Jerkens. Marjorie and Irving Cowan's homebred son of French Deputy broke his maiden at Aqueduct in October and was third in the Huntington Stakes to conclude his juvenile campaign.
Complete field in post position order with jockey and odds:
1. Cajun Beat, G. Boulanger, 4-1;
2. First Blush, J. Chavez, 6-1;
3. Crafty Guy, J. Santos, 6-1;
4. Lion Tamer, John Velazquez, 8-5;
5. Scrimshaw, J. Bailey, 5-2;
6. Strength Within, E. Fires, 8-1.
