Florida-bred Beauty of the Sea brings significant stakes credentials into Saturday’s $250,000 Holiday Inaugural presented by Claiborne Farm at Turfway Park, joining a deep field of 14 fillies and mares entered for the six-furlong synthetic contest.
The 4-year-old daughter of Bucchero out of the Poseidon’s Warrior mare Belong to Sea, bred by Shade Tree Thoroughbreds Inc., enters off a third in the Grade 3 Ontario Fashion at Woodbine. Campaigning for Ironhorse Racing Stable LLC and trainer Joseph Orseno, she’s put together an impressive 2024 campaign with three wins from five starts including the $151,000 Andy Guest at Colonial Downs and $106,000 Goldwood at Monmouth Park.
Fernando De La Cruz gets the mount on the chestnut filly who has banked $344,311 from six wins, two seconds anda third in 12 career starts. Beauty of the Sea has post two and is 10-1 in the program.
Morning line co-favorite Laura’s Charm, the morning line favorite at 3-1, enters for trainer Lacy Pierce and owner Dan Churilla. The five-year-old mare by Mshawish has two wins and a second, the second coming in the Lady Carey Stakes at Hawthorne, in eight starts this year. Also at 3-1, Night Kiss, enters off five straight victories in overnight conditions at Horseshoe Indianapolis interrupted only by an Allowance second in September.
Upper Case, installed at 7-2 for trainer Paulo Lobo and OXO Equine LLC, brings sharp form into the Holiday Inaugural. The American Pharoah filly captured the $295,000 Dream Supreme at Churchill Downs last out and has won four races this year while banking over $362,000. Evin Roman has the call.
B G Warrior (5-1), who boasts past success over the Turfway surface including victories in last year’s Queen Stakes and Wishing Well Stakes, adds depth to a contentious lineup that includes ten additional runners.
The Holiday Inaugural will go as race five on the Saturday card, with an approximate post time of 8:11 p.m. EST.
The full field from the rail out also includes Miss Arlington with jockey Corey Lanerie, Baby No Worries will be ridden by Abel Cedillo, Sunday Shoes has Gerardo Corrales taking the call, Upper Case and pilot Evin Roman, Nice as Pie will have Luis Saez aboard, Francine Aebly rides A Game, B G Warrior will have Florent Geroux in the saddle, Bling and jockey Luis Contreras, Sophie Doyle takes the call on Awesome Treat, Love Appeals will carry Vincent Cheminaud and Luis Machado will ride Love to Shoo. Laura’s Charm and Night Kiss are on the also-eligible list.
