Mac Diarmida J

An overflow field of 14 crammed the entry box for Saturday’s $100,000 Mac
Diarmida H. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, with a maximum of 12 to start. The 1
3/8-mile turf contest features hard-boiled veterans and intriguing new faces.
Add to this mix the fact that half of the field is trying this distance for the
first time, and this shapes up as a tough race to dissect with confidence.

We’ll opt for the most promising of the new faces, the lone mare in the
field, LUNE D’OR (Fr) (Green Tune), who can boast of smart international form
and has performed creditably against Group 1-caliber males on firm turf. During
her three-year-old season in 2004, she captured an Italian Group 1 and two
French Group 2 events at distances of at least 1 1/4 miles, all against her own
sex. When pitched into the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) against a premier field of older males,
she finished a worthy seventh, beaten a total of 5 1/2 lengths by Japanese Horse
of the Year Zenno Rob Roy. Multiple Group 1-winning world traveler Phoenix Reach
(Ire) (Alhaarth [Ire]) was just in front of her in sixth, and Arlington Million
S. (G1) king Powerscourt (GB) (Sadler’s Wells) was 10th. We doubt any of the
horses she’ll face today could have been any closer.

Although she did not win in four starts last year, Lune D’Or turned in
consistently solid efforts, including a good third in the Grand Prix de Vichy
(G3) to the classy globetrotter Touch of Land (Fr) (Lando [Ger]). She has not
run since finishing a troubled sixth, caught in traffic in the stretch, in the
October 1 Flower Bowl Invitational S. (G1), the one American start on her
resume. Still, the five-year-old has been appearing on the worktab regularly for
new trainer Christophe Clement, who’s winning at a 20 percent clip with horses
returning off a layoff of at least 90 days and enjoying a 23 percent strike rate with
runners recording their first starts for him. We forecast that she’ll get a
favorable tracking trip under Brice Blanc, and with her break in the weights at
112, will outkick the males to the wire.

If there is such an animal as a 1 3/8-mile specialist, it’s SILVERFOOT (With
Approval). The Dallas Stewart trainee has a two-for-three record over this trip,
with back-to-back wins in the Louisville H. (G3) and an excellent second to
then-reigning Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) winner Better Talk Now (Talkin Man) in the
United Nations S. (G1). The gray gelding earned a BRIS Speed figure of 112 when
sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf two back, much the highest in this group, and
has topped the century mark in four of his last five. Rafael Bejarano sticks
with him for the fourth straight race, and Silverfoot looks the one to beat.

ROUSING VICTORY (Victory Gallop) is tempting at his 8-1 morning line odds.
Two starts back, he closed strongly to get second in the 1 3/8-mile Red Smith H.
(G2) behind Grade 1 winner King’s Drama (Ire) (King’s Theatre [Ire]), racking up a 114 Late Pace
figure. He recently turned in a bullet work on the lawn at Palm Meadows for
trainer Phil Serpe and appears to be sitting on a big effort. His rider in the
Red Smith, Javier Castellano, reunites with him.

HONOR IN WAR (Lord at War [Arg]) deserves respect as an honest, genuine
battler who can be relied upon to put forth his best effort. That tenacity was
evident in his last start, when he overcame a world of trouble to post a victory
in the Fort Lauderdale S. The Paul McGee charge has never run this far, but
going back to his 2003 campaign, he ran well at 1 1/4 miles, capturing the
Arlington H. (G3). Although unplaced in the 2003 Manhattan H. (G1) and Arlington
Million, he was beaten just 3 1/2 lengths by the winner on both occasions. His
biggest difficulty may not be the distance, but the fact that his Speed ratings
have cracked the century mark only once in his last 10 starts. Still, he’s a
must use in the exotics because of his admirable consistency. Shaun Bridgmohan,
who’s been aboard for Honor in War’s two straight wins, returns to the saddle.

WE CAN SEEK (Chi) (Seeker’s Reward) has been firing bullet works on the main
track at Gulfstream for conditioner Mark Hennig. While his iffy results on the
Aqueduct inner dirt this winter don’t give much evidence on his behalf, he was a
multiple Group 1 winner on the lawn in Chile. REQUEST FOR PAROLE (Judge T C) owns a great deal of back class in turf
marathons but has not returned to that level since being desperately ill prior
to his 2005 season. The Stan Hough charge may be edging his way back, recording
Speed figures of 102 and 103 in his last two outings, but he hasn’t hit the
board in six of his last seven starts.

The Todd Pletcher-trained GO DEPUTY (Deputy Minister), a newcomer to the
older turf stakes brigade, is exiting a sharp allowance win over the Gulfstream
turf. He’s proven at the distance, having won a Saratoga turf allowance at
three, but is facing a class hike here. EVERYTHING TO GAIN (Sky Classic), elder brother of Grade 1 victor Nothing to
Lose, is coming off his first stakes score in Calder’s Our Dear Peggy S. at 1
1/8 grassy miles, finishing his last furlong in a smashing :11 1/5 and earning a
112 Late Pace rating. After toiling at a mile or 8 1/2 furlongs for the last
year and a half, the seven-year-old gelding clearly relished the added distance
and may do so again here, but the Dale Romans charge must prove he can mix it up
with these.

Two subsequent starts have suggested that HOTSTUFANTHENSOME (Awesome Again)
was flattered when romping in the Cliff Hanger S. (G3) in the Meadowlands bog.
Four-year-old colt WOOD BE WILLING (Pulpit) is on a two-race winning streak but
is stepping into stakes company for the first time. RUMOR HAS IT (Awesome Again)
has his work cut out for him, based on his lackluster Speed figures.
Four-year-old RAMAZUTTI (Honor Grades) has never been farther than 1 1/16 miles
and couldn’t win in two tries in three-year-old stakes last year. Given his
early speed, this Pletcher colt may be in the field to set the table for his
stablemate Go Deputy.

The also-eligibles can be safely dismissed. READY FOR ROSES (More Than Ready)
has been out of his depth since he left Ohio, and INDIANTOWN JONES (Green
Dancer) has twice failed to win a non-winners of two other than.