BY BROCK SHERIDAN

After breaking her maiden and winning the $90,000 Our Dear Peggy in her only two starts on the Gulfstream Park synthetic as a 2-year-old, Florida-bred Dancing N Dixie appeared to have potential as a grass horse.

But a nightmare trip in her turf debut when sixth in the $125,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 6 makes questionable her fondness for the grass.

The Mark Casse-trained Dancing N Dixie will get a second opportunity on the lawn Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks, featuring a dozen 3-year-old fillies going a mile-and-a-sixteenth.

The $200,000 purse includes a $50,0000 Florida-bred purse bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Dancing N Dixie has won two of six career starts while earning $90,860 for owners Quintessential Racing Florida LLC, Rocky Top Stable (Ventura) and LEMB Stables, already providing a good return on her $35,000 purchase price at last year Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale where she was consigned by Blue River Bloodstock.

Bred in Florida by Freddie Hyatt, Dancing N Dixie is by Neolithic, who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions, and is out of Foolhearted Woman, by Uncaptured.

She will be ridden for the first time by Gabriel Moldonado and will break from post nine.

Style Points will likely be among the post-time favorites along with Dynamic Pricing (Ire) after they finished second and third respectively in the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant won by Life’s An Audible going a mile-and-sixteenth on the Gulfstream Park turf on Feb. 3.

Trained by Christophe Clement for Cheyenne Stables LLC, the lightly raced Style Points has one win in three starts after winning a maiden special weight against fillies going a mile-and-a-sixteenth at Gulfstream on Dec. 24.

The bay daughter of Oscar Performance has earned $70,315 in her three races and has drawn post seven with jockey Javier Castellano named to ride.

Dynamic Pricing also has a short resume having won her career debut against special weight maiden fillies going a mile-and-sixteenth on the inner turf at Aqueduct on Nov. 4 in her only other start.

Dynamic Pricing, a daughter of Night of Thunder (Ire), has earned $63,725 for owner Klaravich Stables Inc.

Jose Ortiz will ride Dynamic Pricing from post 11.

Rounding out the field are Poolside With Slim (Ire) with jockey Jorge Ruiz, Carol Cedeno rides A Primera Vista, Pharoah’s Wine will have Daniel Cendeno aboard, Crevalle d’Oro will have Samy Camacho up, Waskesiu with Junior Alvarado taking the riding chores, Austere and jockey Tyler Gaffalione, Destiny Star will have Angel Arroyo in the saddle, Weigh the Risks and rider Irad Ortiz Jr. and Witwatersrand has Antonio Gallardo named to ride.

Return to the March 7 issue of Wire to Wire