First Lady

Whenever a talented and contentious group of sprinters assembles, anything
can happen and often does. We’ll approach Saturday’s $100,000 First Lady H. (G3)
at Gulfstream Park in this frame of mind and take a stab at a price horse with
class.

ENDER’S SISTER (A.P. Indy) is trying six furlongs for the first time, but her
back class and her recent BRIS figures suggest that she has the ability to
spring a surprise in this field of specialist sprinters. Judging by her
astronomical E1 and E2 Pace figures in her last two starts (109/113 and 100/112
respectively), she has the early foot to secure a tactically favorable position
under Mike Smith. In her last effort, the one-mile Top Flight H. (G2), she faded
after chasing a quick pace, but more illustrative for our purposes is her romp
two starts back at Keeneland, in which she ran off in a muddy 6 1/2-furlong
allowance by 19 lengths, racking up a 116 BRIS Speed rating. The runner-up that day,
Silver Crown (Distorted Humor), came back to win a stakes at Louisiana Downs. As
a three-year-old, Ender’s Sister was a close second to subsequent Prioress S.
(G1) winner Friendly Michelle in the 7 1/2-furlong La Troienne S. (G3), and
after that, she kept running in route races, including a valiant runner-up
finish to champion Ashado in the Cotillion H. (G2). We project that she will
enjoy the cut back in distance and will turn in a strong effort at a square
price. The Rusty Arnold trainee has been working well at Palm Meadows, runs well
fresh, and will carry only 112 pounds.

TRICKLE OF GOLD (Formal Gold) had reeled off six wins in a row, three of them
stakes, before floundering on the wet-fast track in the La Brea S. (G1) at Santa
Anita in her last outing. With a return to fast going, the Michael Gorham filly
should return to her brilliant best. Considering that she had posted consecutive
Speed ratings ranging between 100 and 108 before her trip west, she is a prime
contender in her first stakes test against her elders. Jeremy Rose reunites with
the four-year-old.

SMOKEY GLACKEN (Forestry) is a top-class performer whose Speed figures have exceeded the
century mark in four straight races. If she can reproduce that form in her first
start in nearly three months, she is a very real threat to take the prize. Her
past efforts when coming off a layoff, however, suggest that she usually needs a
race or two to find her best. Javier Castellano takes off Ender’s Sister to
renew his partnership with the James Jerkens mare.

The Todd Pletcher-trained MADDALENA (Good and Tough) did not trouble Trickle
of Gold when she checked in three lengths behind that rival when second in the
Safely Kept Breeders’ Cup S. (G3) in October, her last start, and she had
disappointed on occasion during the season. Still, Maddalena ran the two best
races of her life at Gulfstream last winter, most notably streaking home by 7
1/4 lengths in the Old Hat S. (G3) and earning a career-best 109 Speed figure,
and she could improve when returning to these surroundings. John Velazquez will
ride.

The redoubtable nine-year-old LILAH (Defrere), perhaps in her final career
start, deserves consideration in the exotics. The Allen Jerkens trainee is
coming off a third in the seven-furlong Chaposa Springs H. and is sure to prefer
the shorter trip here. She notched a 102 Speed rating when capturing the Garland
of Roses H. two prior, also at six furlongs, and she has been working up a storm
at Gulfstream with a series of bullets. Shannon Uske will be aboard.

Northern California stakes winner LUNACHICK (Partner’s Hero) is the speed of
the speed in this race, having smoked a half-mile in :43 1/5 en route to her
victory in the Vallejo S. In her most recent outing, she failed by a nose in the
Angel Island S., with the winner, Thrilling Victory (Event of the Year), later
finishing third in the La Brea. Even so, the four-year-old faces a class hike in
this spot, her first for trainer Wayne Catalano, and we’ll reserve judgment for
now. Shaun Bridgmohan will be in the irons.

KUANYAN (Carson City) has shown speed at Calder, but she is burdened with the
outside post and is not fast enough to outgun this group. TOLL TAKER (Bernstein)
has not put up the numbers to suggest that she can be a factor. SO MUCH MORE
(Chimes Band) has been disposed of by Lilah and Kuanyan, and there is no reason
to imagine a sudden form reversal.