Sr. Quisqueyano, who was perhaps the most impressive winner on Calder Casino and Race Course’s Juvenile Showcase day of 2-year-old races on Aug. 25, returns to stakes action Saturday at the Miami Gardens track in the $100,000 Foolish Pleasure Stakes for 2-year-olds going 1 mile and 70 yards on the main track.
Although the Florida-bred son of Journeyman Stud stallion Elusive Quality won the $73,000 Seacliff Stakes that day by 13 ½ lengths in a time of 1:41.44 over a track labeled sloppy-fast, he will not be the only starter in the Foolish Pleasure that won a big race during the Showcase. In fact, four of the top five finishers of the $125,000 Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion Stakes have entered the Foolish Pleasure including winner D’nied Permission; and Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash winner Itsmyluckyday are all also expected in the Foolish Pleasure.
Trained by Luis Olivares for Rosa Stephany Taveras, Sr. Quisqueyano won his first race Apr. 22 at Calder over special weight maidens, going four and one-half furlongs in :52.85 and winning by nearly three lengths with jockey Jozbin Santana just along for the ride. Bred in Florida by Do Little Farm in Ocala, Sr. Quisqueyano first began to turn heads in his next start when he won a $30,000 conditioned allowance race at Calder on Aug. 11 by 12 ½ lengths. Able to lay back and stalk in third or fourth position in his previous victories, Sr. Quisqueyano and Santana should be perfectly happy with the Foolish Pleasure post position draw as they will have a good view of the field after they break from the far outside post nine.
Sr. Quisqueyano is also a graduate of the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company Winter Sale of 2011 when he sold for $9,500 from the consignment of Thoroughstock.
While not undefeated, D’nied Permission has never been worse than second in his four career races including his win the Affirmed division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. After finishing second in his first start on Jun. 23 at Calder against $25,000 maiden claimers, D’nied Permission stepped up in class to defeat $32,000 maidens at Calder in July. Trained by Joseph Calascibetta for F. Muro, W. Cheekes, L. Ferrentino and Calascibetta Racing Stable, the son of former Florida stallion D’Wildcat and the Maudlin mare Sanctioned, then ran into Sr. Quisqueyano in that Aug. 11 allowance race at Calder and was the runner-up that day and trailed by 12 ½ lengths at the finish.
D’nied Permission came back strong in his next start to take the Affirmed by a neck over Joshua’s Comprise in second, Two T’s At Two B in third and L’s Ticket to Ride and Billo’s Boy in four and fifth respectively. All but Two T’s At Two B have been entered in the Foolish Pleasure.
D’nied Permission is also an OBS alumni having brought $11,000 at their 2011 August Sale from the consignment of Sharon Biamonte, Agent.
Joshua’s Comprise may be the one to beat out of that race if he gets a cleaner trip in the Fooshish Pleasure. In the Affirmed, the son of Comprise and out of the Katowice mare Princess Alert, Joshua’s Comprise broke to the inside at the start of the Affirmed and was forced wide around the turn when trying to rally, only to fall a neck short of winning. Bred in Florida by trainer Barry Rose of Fort Lauderdale and owned by the Rose Family Stable, Joshua’s Comprise will have Carlos Olivero in the irons for the first time when they break from post six. Joshua’s Comprise will be the most experienced in the Foolish Pleasure making his tenth start, but will be looking for his first win.
Itsmyluckyday is another with two wins from four career starts including his victory last time out in the Fasig-Tipton Turf Dash. Despite the title of the stake, the Turf Dash was moved from the grass to the sealed and sloppy track at Calder that had been drenched by remnants of tropical storm Isaac the previous evening and morning. Trained by Edward Plesa Jr. for Trilogy Stable of Pompano Beach, Fla., and Laurie Plesa of Plantantion, Fla., Itsmyluckyday also has a victory over a maiden special weight group at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., on Jun. 23. He was also second in his first race against maidens on Jun. 1 at Monmouth Park and third in the $60,000 Tyro Stakes behind Florida-bred Rip Roarin Richie on Aug. 5, also at Monmouth.
Itsmyluckyday, a $110,000 seller at the 2012 OBS March Sale of Two Year Olds In Training from the consignment of Eisaman Equine, Agent, breaks from post three with jockey Manoel Cruz aboard for the second time.
Photo by Coady
