Gulfstream Park has carded a plethora of turf stakes on Saturday’s Fountain of Youth Day undercard, but the only one that isn’t graded could be the one that garners the most attention.
That’s because 2015 Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse will make her four-year-old debut in the $100,000 Sand Springs Stakes for trainer Mark Casse. The popular chestnut miss was well-beaten in her final two races as a sophomore and will try to get back on the winning track in this one-mile grass affair against seven rivals.
Catch a Glimpse showed only one loss from her championship 2015 juvenile campaign, with that coming in her career bow on dirt. She was undefeated on turf entering 2016 and proceeded to add the Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3), Appalachian Stakes (G3), Edgewood Stakes (G3) and Penn Mile (G3) to her resume before her big win in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1), all at different tracks.
The City Zip filly suffered her first defeat on grass when missing by only a neck in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2) at Saratoga in August, but offered no runs when seventh in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) to close out the year. Catch a Glimpse was given plenty of time off following those subpar efforts, not returning to the official worktab until late January, and reunites with Florent Geroux for this season opener.
Among those lining up against Catch a Glimpse is Grade 1 heroine Celestine, who is making her debut for new trainer Christophe Clement in this spot.
There are five graded turf contests on Saturday as well, and the $200,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2) is the penultimate race of the day. The 1 3/8-mile contest drew 12 contestants, including Grade 1 conquerors Wake Forest and Twilight Eclipse as well as Taghleeb and Patterson Cross, the one-three finishers from the W. L. McKnight Handicap (G3) last out on January 28.
Canadian champion Interpol is looking to kick off his six-year-old campaign with a stylish win in the $150,000 Canadian Turf Stakes (G3) for new trainer Jimmy Toner. Previously conditioned by Sid Attard, the bay son of English Channel skipped the entire 2016 season after taking the Northern Dancer Stakes (Can-G1) and running 10th in the Canadian International (Can-G1) in 2015. He’ll have to face eight rivals in the one-mile Canadian Turf on Saturday, including defending champion Heart to Heart.
Suffused headlines the $150,000 The Very One Stakes (G3), which attracted nine distaffers to go 1 3/16 miles on the green. The Bill Mott-trained daughter of Champs Elysees captured the La Prevoyante Handicap (G3) to open her five-year-old season on January 28. The chestnut mare just missed by a nose to close out 2016 in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (Can-G1) last October.
The sophomores will get their turn on the turf as well Saturday as nine colts and geldings entered the $100,000 Palm Beach Stakes (G3) and seven sophomore fillies go in the $100,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3), both at 1 1/16 miles. Cowboy Culture will attempt to move his record to a perfect four-for-four while making his graded bow in the Palm Beach. Coasted is the top draw in the Herecomesthebride as she just missed by a half-length in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) to close out her two-year-campaign.
Besides the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) and Davona Dale Stakes (G2), there is only one other dirt stakes carded for Saturday at Gulfstream. That is the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3), which sends a field of eight one mile on the main track.
