BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Dancing N Dixie tries to regain her winning form off a disappointing seventh in the $75,000 Monroe last out when she leads a Florida-bred quartet into Saturday’s $75,000 Powder Break at Gulfstream Park. Joining Dancing N Dixie are Florida-breds Lady Cha Cha, Lets Go Koko and Chick’s Shadow among the 11 fillies and mares entered to run one mile on the turf.

Trained by Mark Casse for Gary Barber, Jackie Ventura’s Rocky Top Stables and Chris Moore’s LEMB Stables, Dancing N Dixie was unable to unleash her usual big late kick in the Monroe in her initial race of the year and first in five months. Last year, the grey or roan daughter of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic earned $300,190 including a victory in the $233,000 Tepin at Churchill Downs on her way to being named the 2024 Champion Turf Female by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Bred in Florida by the late Freddie Hyatt, 4-year-old Dancing N Dixie sports a career record of three wins and four thirds in 15 career starts with earnings of $390,550. She is out of Foolhearted Woman, by Uncaptured and was a $35,000 purchase by White Type Stables out of the Sergio Centeno’s Blue River Bloodstock based in Morriston, Fla.
(Dancing N Dixie’s Under Tack Video)

A victory by Dancing N Dixie would improve an already good week for Centeno’s Blue River Bloodstock, as he also bred Buccherino, the Florida-bred winner of Monday’s $100,000 Mr. Prospector at Monmouth Park. 

Dancing N Dixie has post one and is 9-2 on the morning line. Miguel Vasquez has the mount.

 

The third time may provide the proverbial charm for Dave McGinn’s homebred Chick’s Shadow, who was second to Transient in the 2023 Powder Break and fourth in last year’s edition behind winner Batucada.

A winner of the $75,000 Frolic’s Revenge overnight handicap on the Gulfstream synthetic in August, Chick’s Shadow was less than two lengths off winning Florida-bred Mohawk Trail and a length behind runner-up Lady Cha Cha in the $100,000 Pleasant Acres Distaff Turf at Tampa Bay Downs two starts back on March 30.

Chick’s Shadow looks to improve off her last race when fourth in a second level, $62,500 optional claiming going a mile on the Gulfstream turf on May 10.

 

Trained by Angel Rodriguez, the 8-year-old Chick’s Shadow has nine wins, seven seconds and 12 thirds in 52 starts with lifetime earnings of $326,423.

She is by Seek Again out of Dick’s Chick by Shuailaan and Luca Panici will ride from post nine.

Golden Kernel Racing’s Lady Cha Cha has not raced since her second in Distaff Turf and looks for her first victory since taking two straight in a $50,000 starter allowance optional claiming going a mile on the turf in April and a first level, $48,000 optional claiming at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf in May, both at Gulftream.

 

The 4-year-old daughter of Vino Rosso is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and looks to add her career ledger of three wins, two seconds and two thirds in 11 starts and earnings of $120,550. She was a $110,000 purchase by Bach Stables at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale out of the Summerfield consignment.

Lady Cha Cha is out of Peisinoe, by Yes It’s True and was bred by English Range Farm.

She will be ridden by Rajiv Maragh from post two and is 8-1 in the program.

Set at 12-1 on the morning line is Lets Go Koko, winner of two second level, $32,000 optional claiming races on March 1 and April 18 in her last three starts for trainer Rory C. Miller. She was seventh in the Distaff turf between those two victories.

 

A homebred for Flying Finish Farm Inc., Let’s Go Koko is by Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of Vino de Pago, by With Distinction and has won seven with four seconds and four thirds in 21 races. She has banked $214,000.

Edwin Gonzalez takes the riding assignment from post four.

Rounding out the field are Sensitivity with Marco Meneses up, Starship Agenda and jockey Leonel Reyes, Majestic Venezuela will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, Jose Morelos will guide Fantasy Performer, Tape Runner with Jose Rios in the saddle, Candy Grey will have Edgard Zayas in the irons and Fernando Jara rides De Regreso.

Return to the May 30 issue of Wire to Wire