Following a disappointing fifth as the favorite in the Grade 3 Ack Ack on
dirt, Dominus will return to turf in Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000
Ft.
Lauderdale at Gulfstream Park. The five-year-old horse is scheduled to meet
10 rivals in the 1 1/16-mile affair.
Dominus made his first seven career starts on the main track, winning the
Grade 2 Dwyer and placing in two other graded events in 2011. He was transferred
from Steve Asmussen to Todd Pletcher last year and won at first asking for the
new barn, taking a seven-furlong allowance/optional claiming event on Saratoga’s
dirt in early August. The son of Smart Strike then tried turf in the Grade 2
Bernard Baruch and posted a convincing wire-to-wire tally, defeating multiple
Grade 1 winner Data Link in the process. Dominus proved no match for Wise Dan in
the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile next out, weakening to sixth in the latter
stages, but the dark bay won’t have to deal with any rivals of that caliber
Saturday.
He posted four turf works during a recent 21-day period at Palm Meadows in
advance of the Ft. Lauderdale, and John Velazquez will be re-united with the
promising turf runner. Dominus will break from post 4.
Nikki’s Sandcastle will enter the race in career-best form for trainer David
Kassen. A former claimer, the six-year-old gelding recorded a fine second in the
Grade 2 Fayette Stakes on Keeneland’s Polytrack before embarking on his current
two-race win streak over Gulfstream’s turf, capturing the December 1 Claiming
Crown Emerald before utilizing a tremendous finishing kick to prove best in the
overnight El Prado on December 22. Regular rider Corey Lanerie will be up on the
chestnut son of Castledale.
Hollinger ran well in his two previous local appearances, compiling a pair of
runner-up finishes in the Ft. Lauderdale and Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf last
year, and the six-year-old gelding can’t be dismissed from win consideration
following his second in the Grade 3 Tropical Turf at Calder. Edgar Prado will
pick up the mount for trainer Roger Attfield. Big Blue Kitten was third in the
2012 Gulfstream Park Turf and recently returned from a layoff with a nice
allowance/optional claming score at Gulfstream for Chad Brown. Javier Castellano
rides the legitimate win contender.
Fifty Proof, a top Canadian performer in 2010-11, recently returned from a
16-month layoff with a win at Woodbine and the seven-year-old veteran will
attempt to make an impact in his second start back for conditioner Ian Black.
Mucho Mas Uno and Vertiformer, the respective runner-up and third-placer in the
Grade 2 W.L. McKnight at 1 1/2 miles, will both cut back in trip, and Grade 2-placed Sky Blazer is two for three over the course.
Grade 2 hero Pants on Fire is entered for the main-track only.
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