BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – More than 40 years ago, three-time Eclipse Award-winning owner and breeder Dan Lasater had an idea.
Lasater sat down with Kenny Noe Jr., president of Calder Race Course, and suggested Calder play host to a three-pronged stakes series for 2-year-olds to promote the growing Florida breeding industry.
Come Saturday, Lasater’s Florida Sire Stakes Series will celebrate its 44thrunning when Gulfstream Park plays host to the first leg of what is now the $1.2 million series.
The 2-year-old series begins with the $100,000 Dr. Fager and Desert Vixen at six furlongs, continues with the $200,000 Affirmed and Susan’s Girl Oct. 18 at seven furlongs, and concludes Nov. 29, the opening weekend of the Championship Meet, with the $300,000 In Reality and My Dear Girl at a mile-and-a-sixteenth.
The series has produced champions Unbridled, Holy Bull, Smile, Big Drama, Awesome Feather and Brave Raj along with other Grade 1 winners Jackson Bend, Three Ring and Mecke.
Saturday’s $100,000 Dr. Fager drew a field of eight including the likely favorite in Squire, co-owned and trained by Patrick Biancone. The gelded son of Pleasant Acres Stallions hot freshman sire Leinster broke his maiden at first asking on the dirt going four-and-a-half furlongs April 18 before finishing second on the turf May 10 in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes, a ‘Win and In’ for Royal Ascot. The gelding worked a ‘bullet’ three furlongs Aug. 30 in :35.60 from the gate, the fastest of 22 works at the distance.
Squire is out of Saudi Chroma, by Lucky Pulpit and has earned $71,560 in his two starts. He was bred in Florida by Amy E. and Ciaran G. Dunne of Ocala, Fla.
Jonathan Ocasio is named to ride and Squire has post six.
Trainer Michael Yates, who swept the Sire Stakes last year with St. Elias Stable’s Rated by Merit, will saddle Fourth and Central.
The Shadybrook Farm homebred son of Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze won his debut at four-and-a-half furlongs May 31 before finishing a troubled fifth in the $75,000 Proud Man won by Florida-bred Diciassette at Gulfstream on Aug. 9 over a sloppy six-furlong track.
An earner of $52,182 in his two starts, Fourth and Central is out of Little Red Frog, by Munnings and was bred in Florida by Yates’ Shadybrook Farm Inc.
Marcos Meneses will ride Fourth and Central from post eight.
Trainer Jose Pinchin, who swept the male division of the FSS in 2016 with Three Rules, will send out Trelawny, fourth in the Proud Man, while trainer Antonio Sano will saddle Camigol, a winner here at four-and-a-half furlongs June 25 in his second start before finishing third in the Saratoga Special (G2) won by Ewing on Aug. 2.
Trelawny will break from post seven with Jose Morelos up while Edwin Gonzalez will ride Camigol from post one.
Emisael Jaramillo will ride All to Win, who won his only race at six furlongs here Aug. 2, while Edgard Zayas has been named on first-time starter Jamalamadingdong for trainer Jose D’Angelo.
In the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, Biancone has entered Lennilu, winner of the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at Gulfstream on May 10 and third in Royal Ascot’s Queen Mary (G2) won by True Love (Ire) on June 18. Biancone could also run Lennilu in the $1 million Untapable at Kentucky Downs Sunday, Sept. 7.
If Lennilu heads to Kentucky, Yates could have the favorite in Finding Strength, a Khozan filly owned by LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stables
Finding Strength finished third in her debut here before winning Aug. 17 at five-and-a-half furlongs by four-and-a-quarter lengths. Yates has entered Copper Creole, a daughter of Cajun Breeze who was third in her debut at five furlongs on the turf. Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has entered Love Like Lucy, a $300,000 daughter of Win Win Win who won her only start at six furlongs Aug. 8. Zayas will ride.
Saturday’s 11-race program will also include the $70,000 Mambo Meister overnight handicap, a mile turf event for 3-year-olds and older.
The 11-horse field includes Florida-bred And Uwish, second in the $70,000 Warrior’s Pride overnight handicap won by Florida-bred Reef Runner on Aug 3. Reef Runner was disqualified from victory Saturday in Del Mar’s Green Flash Handicap (G3).
Also set for the Mambo Meister is Goes the Clown, who will be seeking his fourth consecutive victory.
