Green Light Go will bypass Saturday’s Holy Bull (G3), which awards points toward a Kentucky Derby berth, in favor of the $150,000 Swale (G3) on the Gulfstream Park undercard. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens hopes to use the 7-furlong test as a stepping-stone to a qualifying race, but the eight-horse Swale did not come up easy.
A runaway winner of the Saratoga Special (G2) in his second start, Green Light Go remains the horse to beat in his first appearance since a runner-up finish in the Champagne (G1) at Belmont Park in early October. Champagne winner Tiz the Law will be favored in the Holy Bull, and Green Light Go would have certainly attracted some support in that spot. He’s versatile enough to be anywhere with his tactical speed, and Javier Castellano picks up the mount on the well-built son of Hard Spun.
Untitled will make his first start for Mark Casse after being sold privately off a sensational debut, breaking his maiden by a widening 11-length margin at Gulfstream on Dec. 14. By Khozan, the Florida-bred colt registered a whopping 105 Brisnet Speed rating taking the 6-furlong maiden race, and Untitled does have stamina influences in his female family. He will try 7-furlongs first with Jose Ortiz.
Necker Island merits respect following a nice pair of wins at Churchill Downs, breaking his maiden in late September and narrowly prevailing in a deep entry-level allowance on Nov. 30. The son of Hard Spun will stick to one-turn distances in his 3-year-old opener, and Necker Island brings improving Brisnet Speed ratings into the stakes bow. Tyler Gaffalione takes over the reins.
Shivaree enters a class check in good form, reeling off three straight wins for Ralph Nicks. After breaking his maiden by nearly 10 lengths, the Florida-bred colt posted a neck decision in the Buffalo Man, and he exits a 3 ¼-length romp in the Jan. 4 Limehouse. Both stakes were at 6-furlongs, and Emisael Jaramillo will guide the promising sprinter.
Mischevious Alex, a 9 ¾-length scorer in the Nov. 5 Parx Juvenile last out, finds a difficult spot for his return, and Flash Pass jumps straight to stakes company for new connections after being haltered for $12,500 out of an 12-length triumph over maiden claimers at Gulfstream.
A pair of one-mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds will also be offered on Saturday’s 12-race program.
In the $100,000 Dania Beach, Homeland will be the one to beat among 10 entered for the turf. The $500,000 son of American Pharoah will add Lasix, and the Bill Mott-trained colt exits a head second in his stakes debut, the Dec. 6 Central Park at Aqueduct. Jose Ortiz will be up. South Bend will switch to grass after a fourth in the Jan. 4 Mucho Macho Man. The Algorithms colt captured the Street Sense at Churchill Downs last fall, a race that produced a pair of next-out stakes winners in Silver Prospector and Shotski, and Julien Leparoux has the call.
Moral Reasoning heads eight fillies entered for turf in the $100,000 Sweetest Chant. Conditioned by Chad Brown, the chestnut daughter of More Than Ready experienced a troubled trip when finishing a neck second in the Jan. 4 Ginger Brew. She’s My Type, who posted a 9-1 upset in the Ginger Brew, will also return along with fourth-placer Sunset Promise. New faces include Moana’s Tale, a seven-length turf maiden scorer last out for hot trainer Danny Gargan; and Churchill maiden winner Ivysetsu.
