Forty Tales, Tuttipaesi likely favorites in Gulfstream
stakes
A baker’s dozen of three-year-olds will dash seven furlongs Saturday in the
Swale, one
of two Grade 3, $150,000 features at Gulfstream Park. The supporting feature is
the
Herecomesthebride, a nine-furlong grass test for three-year-old fillies.
Favoritism in the Swale is likely to fall on the Todd Pletcher-trained Forty
Tales, a fast-closing second in the Grade 2 Hutcheson in early February. The
Tale of the Cat colt had entered that seven-furlong fray undefeated in two
starts, taking an Aqueduct maiden by 2 3/4 lengths and a Parx allowance by 3 3/4
lengths.
Off relatively slow from post 1 in the Hutcheson as the 9-5 favorite, Forty
Tales was still down 4 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go and did well to shave
four lengths off that deficit in the final eighth. Honorable Dillon, who held on
for the win, is not among the entries for the Swale, but third-place finisher
Undrafted and fourth-place finisher Merit Man are returning foes.
Undrafted, who has yet to win on dirt, has occupied the show slot in all
three prior stakes outings. Merit Man, who was forced to steady around the far
turn in the Hutcheson, previously landed the Tim Conway at Santa Anita and the
Spectacular Bid at Gulfstream, and was beaten a nose in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile Sprint.
Gombey Dancer, a maiden winner last month by three lengths in his first start
since August, should attract some play. The Eddie Kenneally pupil was a punctual
odds-on choice in that February 3 heat off a close second-place finish in his
Saratoga debut August 16.
Others of note in the Swale are Clearly Now, a distant third in the Grade 3
Holy Bull; Grade 2 Summer runner-up Are You Kidding Me, who makes his dirt debut
here for trainer Roger Attfield; and Little Distorted, who has disappointed in
two starts this meet after beating classic hopeful Revolutionary in his swift
Belmont Park debut last October.
Tuttipaesi, who posted an 8-1 upset of the Ginger Brew on New Year’s Day
against a dozen rivals, will face only seven when she enters the gate as the
likely favorite in the Herecomesthebride.
A two-time listed stakes winner in Italy at two, Tuttipaesi trailed the field
in her pattern-stakes debut in the Group 2 May Hill at Doncaster in September.
However, the gray perked up in her first U.S. start in the Ginger Brew, turning
in a strong outside bid from 10th to win the 1 1/16-mile test going away by two
lengths. Tuttipaesi races for Valor Ladies, an all-female partnership which is
an offshoot of Team Valor.
Caroline Thomas, who missed by a half-length when third in the January 27
Sweetest Chant over a mile, leads an opposition that also includes Tokyo Time, a
last-out maiden winner by 5 1/4 lengths for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey. Also
stepping up in class are With Sugar On Top and Coffee Clique, both of whom exit
local allowance wins, and Grade 3-placed Kitten’s Point, second to Coffee Clique
in her sophomore bow.
Entered for the main track only is Sweet Shirley Mae, who placed last term in
the Grade 1 Spinaway and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint.
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