Florida-breds Great Venezuela and Mist also Entered
BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Three Diamonds Farm’s Buttercream Babe is entered to make a quick return from a start in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Grade 1) in Saturday’s $100,000 Wait A While on the Gulfstream Park turf.
The connections of the graded stakes-placed daughter of Twirling Candy are just hoping that she will actually get to run in the seven-and-a-half-furlong test for 2-year-old fillies that will co-headline Saturday’s program with the $100,000 Pulpit.
That was not the case in the one mile Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, in which the Michael Maker-trained filly broke a step slowly from her rail post position and was denied running room and finished last of 14 at Santa Anita Nov. 3.
“It was a tough draw and not an ideal break. She got pretty much crushed going into the first turn,” assistant trainer Nolan Ramsey said of Buttercream Babe’s trip behind winner Hard to Justify. “I’d liked to have seen her pick up her feet a little bit more coming down the lane, but when all is said and done, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.”
Buttercream Babe has been training forwardly after returning to Maker’s stable in Kentucky, showing no negative signs from her Breeders’ Cup journey.
“She came back great. It was just an unfortunate draw and an even more unfortunate trip,” Ramsey said. “She’s handled everything good since. Hopefully, she can rebound Saturday.”
Buttercream Babe entered the Breeders’ Cup off a troubled second-place finish at Santa Anita in the Grade 3 Surfer Girl on Oct. 8, in which he vied for the lead throughout the mile turf stakes only to be beaten by a neck by winner Dreamfyre after experiencing bumping nearing the finish.
Prior to shipping to the West Coast, Buttercream Babe won at first asking and finished third in the $499,286 Pepsi Untapable won by Crown Imperial at Kentucky Downs in September.
Hector Diaz Jr. is scheduled to ride the Kentucky-bred filly for the first time Saturday. Buttercream Babe is 4-1 on the morning line and she has post 10.
Florida-bred Great Venezuela will try to extend her two-race win streak in the Wait A While for trainer Victor Barboza Jr.
The daughter of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic won a maiden special weight against fellow Florida-breds going five furlongs on the synthetic course at Gulfstream in her second career start before winning a first condition, $75,000 optional claiming at five-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic last out on Oct. 28.
Great Venezuela is out of Pat M’s Image, by Leroidesanimaux (Brz) and was bred by owner Orlyana Farm.
Leonel Reyes will ride from post five and Great Venezuela is 8-1 on the morning line.
Qatar Racing LLC’s Milliat (Ire) is scheduled to make her U.S. debut in the Wait A While for trainer Jack Sisterson. The daughter of Kodiac (GB) won her debut in a seven-furlong all-weather maiden race at Dundalk in Ireland Sept. 23.
“She’s a really nice filly. We were second in the race last year with Malleymoo. We kind of know the types that can handle American racing,” Sisterson said. “They have to have a good mind and a bit of speed, and she has all the above and more.”
Luis Saez, a three-time Championship Meet titlist, has the call on Milliat, who is 8-1 in the program and has post six.
Trainer Christophe Clement is represented in the 10-horse field by Cheyenne Stable LLC’s Ozara (Ire) and Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Steven Rocco’s Beach Cruiser.
Ozara, a daughter of Lupe de Vega (Ire) is coming off a second-place finish in the $135,000 Chelsea Flower at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on turf at Aqueduct on Oct. 27. Previously, she won her debut at Saratoga over a pair of next-out winners and finished fourth behind winner She Feels Pretty in the Natalma (G1) at Woodbine.
Beach Cruiser, a daughter of Catalina Cruiser, is coming off a maiden score in a six-furlong state-bred race on turf at Aqueduct.
Irad Ortiz Jr. will ride Ozara, the 8-5 morning line favorite, for the first time Saturday, while Edgard Zayas has the call on Beach Cruiser, who is 8-1 in the program.
Six Column Stables LLC and partners’ Cairo Street, Starry Night Racing’s Done Enough, AMO Racing USA’s Madame Mischief, Anne-33 LLC’s Good Bright Flames and Arindel’s Florida-bred Mist round out the field.
— Brock Sheridan contributed to this article
