The $100,000 Tropical Turf H. (G3) and its filly and mare companion test, the
$100,000 My Charmer H. (G3), both at nine furlongs on the turf, attracted
overflow fields of 16 and 15, respectively, on Saturday’s Grand Slam I
program at Calder. The South Florida track will also offer the $100,000 What a
Pleasure S. for two-year-olds, and its filly counterpart, the $100,000 Three
Ring S., on Saturday’s card. Both races are at 1 1/16 miles on the main track.
Bernard Baruch H. (G2) winner SILVER TREE
(Hennessy) has been assigned co-highweight of 118 pounds for the Tropical Turf.
The Bill Mott trainee most recently finished a good fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile
(G1) and will get a rider switch to Eibar Coa on Saturday. Chilean Horse of the
Year HOST (Chi) (Hussonet), who exits a 1 1/2-length triumph in the
Knickerbocker H. (G2), will also carry 118 pounds. The Todd Pletcher-trained
four-year-old placed in his first four U.S. starts before breaking through with
the win last time. John Velazquez rides.
In the My Charmer, Grade 3 heroine CHANGING WORLD (Spinning World) and multiple stakes winner
FORMAL MISS (Formal Gold) will each carry co-highweight of 117 pounds. The
former comes off a victory in the Violet H. (G3) at Meadowlands and captured the
Frances A. Genter S. last December at Calder for conditioner Barclay Tagg.
Formal Miss is a five-time stakes winner at Calder, including victories in the
Soft Parade and Garden Saint going 8 1/2 grassy furlongs in her last two
outings.
The Three Ring S. has attracted ACLASSYSASSYLASSY (Wild Event), who swept the
three-race Florida Stallion Series for juvenile fillies and exits an easy 4
1/2-length score in the Joe O’Farrell Juvenile Fillies S. three weeks back.
Trained by David Vivian, the gray lass will make her first attempt against open
company when she squares off against seven rivals on Saturday. Among those
she’ll face is the undefeated SMUGGLER (Unbridled), who will make her stakes bow
for conditioner Shug McGaughey off two wins. The bay is out of champion Inside
Information.
Seven two-year-olds will square off in the What a Pleasure. Seacliff S.
victor CHEROKEE CHASE (Rizzi), Birdonthewire S. hero G P’S BLACK KNIGHT (Tiger
Ridge) and the Grade 3-placed BETTER THAN BONDS (Sweetsouthernsaint) are among
the top contenders.