Lightly-raced Delta Prince, who didn’t debut until late in his 3-year-old season last October, will try to continue his ascension as a turf miler in the April 1, $200,000 Appleton Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream Park.
Following two efforts on dirt, Stronach Stables’ Delta Prince, a half brother to champion filly Royal Delta, was switched to the grass and broke his maiden first out in December. He came back to score an allowance victory at Gulfstream in February. Delta Prince has shown the ability to rate and then produce, and will be trying his first black-type field here.
Highweighted Our Way was good enough to win a pair of turf events at Saratoga Race Course last summer, including the Better Talk Now Stakes. After a plodding journey over soft ground in the English Channel Stakes last fall, he returned with a game win in the Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes against Florida-breds in January for owner William Clifton Jr. and trainer H. James Bond.
Like Our Way, All Included likes to come from mid-pack. He ran poorly in this race a year ago and then went to the sidelines for nine months, returning with a good second in allowance optional claiming company and then finishing with a strong late run in the grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap, in which he crossed the wire third but was elevated to second via disqualification. His current form makes him a contender here for owners Wertheimer and Frere.
Siding Spring has found a home on grass after running in the Southwest (G3) and Rebel (G2) stakes last season. He comes in off a pair of allowance optional claiming scores but will be tested for class. Fellow longshots Market Outlook and My Point Exactly should go looking for the early lead with Siding Spring. Both are trying to move up from the claiming ranks to recapture their more youthful form. Diamond Bachelor earned a couple of stakes scores on the Gulfstream lawn last autumn. His current form, however, leaves something to be desired, and he is shortening up to try the Appleton.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, April 01, 2017, Race 4Entries: Appleton S. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Diamond Bachelor (KY) Nicky Figueroa 119 Patrick L. Biancone 10/1 2 2Our Way (FL) John R. Velazquez 121 H. James Bond 2/1 3 3All Included (KY) Javier Castellano 119 Todd A. Pletcher 9/5 4 4My Point Exactly (FL) Paco Lopez 119 Elizabeth L. Dobles 12/1 5 5Market Outlook (KY) Nik Juarez 117 Nick J. Mastronardi, Jr. 30/1 6 6Siding Spring (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 117 Mark E. Casse 8/1 7 7Delta Prince (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 117 James A. Jerkens 3/1
