Contact: Travis Stone
(954) 457-6331
travis.stone@gulfstreampark.com
Eskendereya Drills at Palm Meadows Saturday
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL (Sat, April, 17 2010) – Fountain of Youth (G2) winner and likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1) Eskendereya worked Saturday morning at Palm Meadows in his final work in Florida before shipping to Kentucky on Tuesday.
Trainer Todd Pletcher had tentatively scheduled Zayat Stable’s Eskendereya to work Sunday morning at Palm Meadows before boarding a plane Tuesday for the flight to
With exercise rider Patty Berry in the saddle, Eskendereya was timed five furlongs in 1:02 going alone after posting splits of 13, 25, 37 2/5, 1:02 while galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 2/5 and seven furlongs in 1:29 3/5.
“It rained here last night and the track was about a second slower than usual,” said Pletcher after the work, “I was very pleased with the way he and all of our other horses worked. He (Eskendereya) went just like he did before the Wood (Memorial). Every thing has gone as planned so far.”
Also working five-eighths Saturday morning for Pletcher were E. Paul Robsham Stable’s Discreetly Mine (1:01 4/5), Twin Creek Racing Stable’s Mission Impazible (1:02) and WinStar Farm’s Rule (1:02 3/5). Mission Impazible and Rule worked in company. All are assured a berth in the Kentucky Derby with sufficient graded stakes earnings and will also ship to
The imposing Pletcher work team getting their final workouts before shipping north also included Glencrest Farm’s 3-year-old filly Devil May Care (1:01) as she prepares for the $500,000 Kentucky Oaks (G1) on Fri., Apr. 30 at Churchill, and older stakes stars Overbrook Farm’s Battle Plan (51 1/5) and Mrs. Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith’s Munnings (48 3/5).
Another prominent 3-year-old not trained by Pletcher listed on the work tab Saturday morning at Palm Meadows was Edward P. Evans’ A Little Warm, timed five furlongs 1:02 for trainer Anthony Dutrow. The
A Little Warm began his 2010 campaign winning the six-furlong Spectacular Bid Stakes on Jan. 8 and finishing second in the seven-furlong Hutcheson Stakes (G2) on Feb. 20 at Gulfstream before being tried around two turns for the first time in
Highlighted by the major stakes victories by Quality Road, Eskendereya, Presious Passion and other national stars, the 2010 Gulfstream Park racing season that began on Jan. 3 will wrap up next Sat., Apr. 24 with a program highlighted by six races worth a total of $400,000 for Florida-breds billed as the 1st annual Sunshine State Bonanza.
The $100,000 Island Whirl Florida Thoroughbred Charities and $100,000 Capital Request Thoroughbred Charities lead the card and are companion events for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles on turf, the latter restricted to fillies and mares. Four other races worth $50,000 will be run under starter/allowance conditions, two on turf and two on the main track.
Possible/probable starters for the Island Whirl include J D Farms’ Bim Bam, Patriot Stable’s Famous Patriot, Laurence Foggle’s I’m Only Laughing, Dennis Manning’s Roman Tiger and Korina Stable’s Sincero.
Listed prospects for the Capital Request include A and V Investments’ Dancing Rage, Fernando Abreu’s Granted Tiger, Tom and Helene Andreadakis’ Many Kisses and Farnsworth Stable’s Speak Easy Gal.
Duke of Mischief Likely Texas-Bound for Next Start
Trainer David Fawkes nominated 4-year-old Duke of Mischief for the $100,000 Island Whirl Florida Thoroughbred Charities Saturday at
“We’ve talked it over and the timing of the Lone Star race fits his schedule just right after the Oaklawn race,” said the trainer of Duke of Mischief’s wire-to-wire score last out in the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) in
A chestnut son of Graeme Hall, Duke of Mischief scored by 2 ½ lengths in the nine-furlong Oaklawn Handicap after finishing eighth behind Quality Road in the Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream on Feb. 6 after beginning his campaign with a victory in the in the ‘off the turf’ Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G3) here on Jan. 10.
Duke of Mischief is owned by a partnership that includes Alex and Joann Lieblong, Fawkes and breeder Marilyn McMaster, and first made national news winning the $250,000 Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows last year on June 26 after a Calder allowance victory. He indicated that the $300,000 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G2) to be run on June 26 might fit well after the race in
“We haven’t ruled out the ($600,000) Stephen Foster (G1) at Churchill Downs (June 12),” added Fawkes. “We talked about it and then the next day the Form came out and said that race could be the next spot for Zenyatta and you know there will be some other tough ones in there. Our horse does just fine if you pick the right spots.”
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Travis Stone
Media Manager,
Phone: (954) 457-6331
E-Mail: travis.stone@gulfstreampark.com
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