Florida-bred Two T’s At Two B will likely be the heavy favorite Saturday at Calder Race Course in Miami Gardens, Fla., when he tries to keep his unbeaten streak alive in the Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. As a part of the Florida Stallion Stakes, the $125,000 Affirmed is restricted to foals sired by nominated Florida Stallions and is run along with the Susan’s Girl division that is restricted to fillies, also on Saturday. Both divisions are at seven furlongs and are part of the 10th annual Juvenile Showcase program, a rich day of racing dedicated entirely to 2-year-olds with an estimated $550,000 in stakes purses to be awarded.
There are three pairs of divisions in the series culminating with the open In Reality division and the My Dear Girl for fillies at 1-1/16 miles at Calder Oct. 13. Each of those races will offer a purse of $300,000.
Bred in Florida by Gilbert Campbell of Tyngsboro, Mass., Two T’s At Two B is the only stakes winner among the field seven. In fact, the bay colt has two stakes including the first division of the Florida Stalllion Stakes, the $75,000 Dr. Fager at six furlongs Jul. 28 at Calder. His other stakes win came in the $100,000 Frank Gomez Memorial at five and one-half furlongs on Jun. 30. So a victory in the Affirmed would mean his third stakes victory from three tries and make him four-for-four lifetime with his maiden win in May. Trained by Kathleen O’Connell, Two T’s At Two B will be ridden by Eduardo Nunez when they break from post six.
Looking to turn the tide from the Dr. Fager is Dixie High, who was second to Two T’s At Two B in that race. Bred in Florida by Ocala Stud, Dixie High is by the hot stallion High Cotton, who stands at Ocala Stud. Before running second in the Dr. Fager, Dixie High was impressive in winning his first start against special weight maidens at Calder on Jun. 30 in which the bay colt went wire-to-wire and won by nearly four lengths. Trained by Edward Plesa Jr. for BR Congress LLC of Boca Raton, Fla., Dixie High is also a graduate of the 2011 OBS April Sale of Two Year Olds In Training where he sold for $50,000 where he was consigned by Ocala Stud. Manoel Cruz gets the riding assignment aboard Dixie High, who has been assigned post five.
Another who has experience chasing Two T’s At Two B is Billo’s Boy breaking from post three. Trained by Daniel Pita for Brenda Tabraue, Juan Franciso Landaeta and Andrea’s Farm, Billo’s Boy was third in both the Dr. Fager and the Frank Gomez. He was also third in his first career start on Apr. 22 against special weight maidens but came back to win against a similar group Jun. 3, both race being at Calder.
Photo by Coady
