A full field of 12 will contest the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IT) over 1 3/8 miles Saturday on the Fountain of Youth undercard. This is a wide open contest full of veterans. Stanley Ersoff's Band Is Passing is the mild 7-2 morning line favorite.
The 6-year-old Band Is Passing comes in off a daylight scored in the Tropical Turf Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Calder. He is an outstanding 11 for 25 lifetime and should be close to the pace. Eltawaasul figures to set the fractions from the rail, as he did in last month's Mac Diarmida Handicap before settling for a close-up third. Unite's Big Red, who ran huge to be second in that tilt, also faces the starter here.
Mr. Pleasentfar seeks to rebound following a clunker in the grade II W.L. McKnight. He'd won the Red Smith Handicap (gr. II) at Aqueduct in his previous outing. Drama Critic comes in off a sharp optional claiming score last month, while Profit Option, the McKnight victor, closed stoutly for fourth in the Mac Diarmida. Cetewayo, whose best races are working their way down his past performance listings, looks to recapture past glory.
The field, in post position order with jockeys and weights, for the Gulfstream Park Breeders' Cup Handicap:
Eltawaasul (Jorge Chavez, 113)
Dawn of the Condor (Emile Ramsammy, 113)
Cetewayo (Cornelio Velasquez, 115)
Unite's Big Red (Eduardo Nunez, 113)
Riddlesdown (Chris DeCarlo, 113)
Band Is Passing (Eibar Coa, 117)
Drama Critic (John Velazquez, 114)
Profit Option (Mark Guidry, 115)
Revved Up (Jerry Bailey, 112)
Lodge Hill (Pat Day, 113)
Mr. Pleasentfar (Edgar Prado, 115)
Monkey Puzzle (Rene Douglas, 113)
Also Eligible:
Stokosky (Pat Day, 112)
Star Over the Bay (Manny Aguilar, 111)
