Contact: Travis Stone
(954) 457-6331
travis.stone@gulfstreampark.com
Soaring Empire to Join Cast for
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL (Sun, April, 18 2010) – Add Ol Memorial Stable and C.E. Glasscock’s Soaring Empire to the intriguing probable field now expected to line up for this year’s enriched $200,000 Derby Trial Stakes (G3) to be run next Saturday at Churchill Downs reported trainer Cam Gambolati Saturday morning at Palm Meadows.
Soaring Empire is an Empire Maker colt purchased for $190,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sales. He finished eighth behind Ice Box after a rough start last out in the $750,000 Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 20 with trouble later in the race in his second start this year after a seven-furlong allowance victory over the track on Feb. 25.
“He’s not really a bad gate horse,” Gambolati reflected. “But I felt he would probably get stirred up with the start right in front the grandstand and the size of the crowd. It won’t be an issue at Churchill (for the Derby Trial). They start back in the chute where it’s quiet and a long way from the grandstand.
“We schooled him a lot here at Palm Meadows since the (
“He (Soaring Empire) didn’t do a thing wrong for Bob and hasn’t done a thing wrong in the mornings. I don’t anticipate any problems in
Soaring Empire made two starts as a 2-year-old last year winning his debut at Monmouth Park on Sept. 26 and finishing third in the $100,000 Iroquois Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 1 over the track and one-mile distance of the Derby Trial.
Loving Vindication the One to Beat in Thursday Feature
Live Oak Plantation’s 5-year-old mare Loving Vindication shows two wins and five seconds in 12 career starts, most recently missing by a neck as runner-up in a five-furlong turf dash at Gulfstream Park on Mar. 17 for trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. She goes back to the main track as the likely choice in Thursday’s ‘two other than’ optional/allowance feature.
Leading jockey Paco Lopez gets a return call in the 6 ½-furlong test facing five rival fillies and mares. The daughter of Vindication made the first eight starts of her career for late Hall of Fame horseman Bobby Frankel, including a win and a second in allowance races at
Loving Vindication was sidelined for just over a year before re-surfacing with Plesa last fall at Calder, finishing second in an allowance on Nov. 13. In two dull tries before her good effort last out, she finished last of 10 in the Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 2 after acting up at the gate and tired to seventh after showing speed in a main track allowance sprint over the Gulfstream track on Feb. 12.
An intriguing contender in Thursday’s feature is Kenwood Racing LLC’s 7-year-old mare Annabill, winner of $703,900 with 18 career wins, and entered for a $62,500 claiming tag with jockey C.H. Marquez, Jr. named to ride for trainer Stephen L. DiMauro.
In two starts at the meet previously Annabill finished second in a similar race over the track and distance on Mar. 5 and sixth of seven last out in the Harmony Lodge overnight stakes on Apr. 2.
A daughter of Outflanker, Annabill was purchased privately by her current connections about a year ago from owner-trainer Milt Wolfson and his family after earning most of her bankroll and numerous stakes at Calder where he claimed her for $25,000 early in her career.
Completing the field for Thursday’s race are Buckingham Farm and Gordon Potter’s Max Speed, Luis Saez; William Schettine’s Ain’t Love Grand, Joe Bravo; Mr Amore Stable’s Suave Royalty, Jose Lezcano; and Wendy Dacosta and Jose Pinchin’s Golden Mystery, Elvis Trujillo.
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Travis Stone
Media Manager,
Phone: (954) 457-6331
E-Mail: travis.stone@gulfstreampark.com
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