BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (EDITED)     

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—When Florida-bred Rated by Merit debuted with a dazzling victory at Gulfstream Park July 13, earning the highest Beyer Speed Figure of all 2-year-olds in the country at the time, his sire Battalion Runner attracted sudden national attention. Three weeks earlier, Battalion Runner, who had already been exported from Ocala Stud to Uruguay, received far less attention when his Florida-bred juvenile son, Ghostly Rose, stormed from off the pace to win his debut by nearly three lengths over Gulfstream’s synthetic course.

Following a pair of out-of-town stakes engagements, 47 Roses LLC’s Ghostly Rose figures to have a lot more eyes on him Saturday when he returns to Gulfstream. The Javier Gonzalez trainee has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $95,000 Hollywood Beach for 2-years-olds going five furlongs on the turf.

The Hollywood Beach purse includes a $20,000 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.

Bred by St. Elias Stable, the breeder and owner of Rated by Merit, Ghostly Rose stamped himself as a genuine bargain baby with his debut score. After rating off the pace in a June 21 maiden special weight, he made a three-wide sweep to win drawing away.

Out of Let Right Be Done, by War Front, Ghostly Rose was purchased by Yarelli Murillo for $3,500 at the 2023 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale where he was consigned by Abbie Road Farm.

“In the morning, in his morning breezes, workouts, I saw something better than [the] clock said, but I never thought he’d have that race,” Gonzalez said. “He surprised me.”

Ghostly Rose shipped to Monmouth Park in early August to finish fifth, after being checked in traffic early, in the $100,000 Tyro won by Governor Sam going five furlongs on the grass. He fared better on turf at Colonial Downs in his third and most recent start in the $129,000 Exacta Systems Rosie’s at five-and-a-half furlongs turf. Although he was bumped at the start and trailed the field early, he made a seven-wide sweep to finish third, beaten two-and-a-quarter lengths, again by Governor Sam.

“We went to New Jersey and he had a bad trip. In the [Rosie’s], he got a bump at the start too but at the end of the race, he really flew,” Gonzalez said. “We said, ‘okay, we’re going to try at home’. And that’s why we’re here.”

Miguel Vasquez, currently atop the Sunshine Meet standings, is scheduled to ride Ghostly Rose for the first time Saturday and they have post four.

David Romanik and trainer Ron Spatz’s Florida-bred Most Handsome is scheduled to make his first start on turf in the Hollywood Beach. In his first start, he won by a length after coming from off the pace against special weight maidens going five-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic.

Most Handsome is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic out of Precious Lady, by Songandaprayer and was bred by Julie Ann Jackson.

Drayden Van Dyke returns aboard Most Handsome, who is rated second at 3-1 on the morning-line and has the outside post eight.

Shooting Star Thoroughbreds’ Lazio, rated third at 4-1 on the morning line, will seek to make amends for a very disappointing eighth-place finish in the Rosie’s. The Mary Lightner-trained son of Bucchero previously finished second in his debut at Colonial, where he came back to graduate at five-and-a-half furlongs on turf while defeating two next-out winners.

Lazio is out of Mighty Mini, by Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude and was bred in Florida by Larry Adkins.

Edgard Zayas is scheduled to ride Lazio for the first time in the Hollywood Beach.

Shadybrook Farm’s homebred Mila’s Wish is scheduled to make his turf debut following a pair of starts on dirt.

The Florida-bred son of Stonehedge Farm South stallion Cajun Breeze started with a front-running victory against special weight maidens prior to a late-fading seventh in the $95,000 Proud Man won by Florida-bred Naughty Rascal.

Trained by Michael Yates, Florida-bred Mila’s Wish is out of Little Red Frog, by Munnings.

Marcos Meneses has the mount for the first time.

Rounding out the field are Discreet Dancer with jockey Joe Bravo, Nostalgia’s Smile with Emisael Jaramillo in the saddle, Moon Factor and rider Sonny Leon and Florida-bred Noble N Magical will have Cipriano Gil up.

Return to the Sept. 27 issue of Wire to Wire