Turf stakes take center stage at Gulfstream

A pair of graded turf events highlight Gulfstream Park's Sunday card, as full

fields line up for the 8 1/2-furlong events. In the $100,000

Ft.

Lauderdale S. (G3), BATTLE OF HASTINGS (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) will do

battle with GET STORMY (Stormy Atlantic) as part of a 12-horse field, while the

$100,000

Marshua's River S. (G3) drew 15 runners, including one main-track only

entrant, to contest its first running as a graded test.

The Ft. Lauderdale is first up as race 8, and Battle of Hastings will be

looking to open his five-year-old campaign in the same way he closed out his

four-year-old season -- by winning a stakes. The bay gelding made his first

start for new conditioner Greg Fox in the November 4 River City H. (G3) at

Churchill Downs and pulled off a 2 1/2-length score in that nine-furlong grass

affair. He had BOOTS AHEAD (Storm Boot) back in third that day, but, in addition

to that one, will also be taking on the likes of Get Stormy this time around.

Get Stormy has captured six stakes during his career, three in 2009 and three

last year. The Tom Bush trainee racked up five straight wins before finishing

fourth in the King Edward S. (Can-G2) during the summer. Following that trip

north of the border, he returned to the winner's circle with victories in the

Fourstardave H. (G2) and Bernard Baruch H. (G2) at Saratoga.

Unlike Battle of Hastings, Get Stormy was unable to score in his final start

of 2010, running last in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) on November 6, but has been

posting solid workouts since then in advance of his five-year-old bow.

"He seems like he came out of the Breeders' Cup fine," Bush said. "It was a

very uncharacteristic race for him -- we're still not really sure why he ran

that way. But he's been down here a month and doing very well."

While Battle of Hastings and Get Stormy are the top draws in the Ft.

Lauderdale, also entered are multiple Grade 2-placed stakes winner SMART BID

(Smart Strike); Tropical Turf H. (G3) fourth SOUPER SPECTACULAR (Giant's

Causeway), a half-brother to super mare Zenyatta; and Grade 3 victor BALETTI

(Gulch), who was third in the Knickerbocker S. (G3) and Tropical Turf in

his last two.

One race later in the Marshua's River, NEVER RETREAT (Smart Strike) will

attempt to return to her winning ways following a nose second in the River

Memories S. at Woodbine on October 30. Prior to that one-mile test, the dark bay

six-year-old got up to add the Kentucky Cup Ladies Turf S. to her resume at

Kentucky Downs.

The Kentucky-bred lass competed nine times last year, only two less than the

entire 11-race career line belonging to MARY'S FOLLIES (More Than Ready). That

bay mare actually only ran twice in 2010, returning from a near year layoff to

be second in the Athenia S. (G3) and then finishing seventh in the My Charmer H.

(G3) two months later. Her last win came in the 2009 Mrs. Revere S. (G2), and

Mary's Follies is seeking to pad her CV a bit more this season.

WILD MIA (Wildcat Heir) was just 1 3/4 lengths behind in second in last

year's edition of the Mrs. Revere, which also was her first start against graded

company. Off that encouraging run, trainer Tom Proctor has entered the gray

four-year-old in the Marshua's River in hopes of adding a bit more black-type to

her career mark.

Another major contender in the Marshua's River is dual stakes queen C. S.

SILK (Medaglia d'Oro), who is exiting a 9 3/4-length romp against optional

claiming rivals at Churchill Downs on November 28. The Dale Romans charge just

missed by a half-length in the First Lady S. (G1) at Keeneland in early October,

and was recently caught posting a five-furlong bullet move over the Gulfstream

lawn on Monday.

"It was a fast time, but she did it easily," said Romans, whose mare was

clocked in :58 2/5 around the dogs. "Usually when she works fast, she runs well,

so we're looking forward to her race."

Also set to go in Sunday's test are multiple stakes winner TRIP FOR A. J.

(Trippi), who nearly wired the My Charmer before settling for second just three

parts of a length back; PERSUADING (Broken Vow), a nine-length allowance winner

on November 26 following fourth-place runs in the Garden City H. (G1) and Valley

View S. (G3) in her only stakes attempts; Grade 2 winner SATANS QUICK CHICK (Sky

Mesa), who was third in the Lady's Secret S. (G1) two back; and multiple stakes

scorer and Cardinal H. (G3) runner-up KISS MINE (Mineshaft).