BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A wave of Florida-breds have hit entry boxes for stakes races to be run around the country this week with 32 Thoroughbreds from the Sunshine State entered in 14 different open stakes. The 14 black-type contests will be run at Churchill Downs, Gulfstream Park, Delaware Park, Parx Racing, Presque Isle Downs and Laurel Park with purses totaling $3.315 million.
Set for some the nation’s more prominent contests this week are Mystic Lake in the Grade 1 Cotillion at Parx; Bentornato, Buccherino, One Sharp Cookie, Sunny Breeze and Practically Dark in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx, Maryquitecontrary, Battle Cry and Beth’s Dream in the Grade 3 Princess Rooney at Gulfstream and Halina’s Forte in the Grade 3 Dogwood at Churchill Downs.
Of the 32 Florida-bred stakes horses, 21 are sired by Florida stallions including Awesome Slew, Cajun Breeze, Chitu, First Dude, Khozan, Neolithic, Rogueish, St Patrick’s Day and Valiant Minister.
Florida-breds are expected to garner plenty of support from the gambling public this week as well. At press time, 10 of the 14 stakes had published morning lines with several Florida-breds among the program favorites. Bentornato is rated at 9-5 for the Gallant Bob, Forever Souper (2-1 in the Presque Isle Mile at Presque Isle Downs), Hades (5-2 in the Bourbon Flight at Churchill Downs) and Souper Quest (5-2 in the Turf Monster at Parx Racing).
Four other Florida-breds have odds of 9-2 or better including Real Talk (7-2 in the Turf Monster) Frosty O Toole (9-2 in today’s Obeah at Delaware Park), Mrs Worldwide (4-1 in the Presque Isle Debutante at Presque Isle Downs) and Halina’s Forte (9-2 in the Grade 3 Dogwood at Churchill Downs).
Even the Florida-bred outsiders are rated well with Anamnestic in the Presque Isle Mile and Mystic Lake in the Grade 1 Cotillion being the biggest longshots among the Florida contingent, each at 12-1.
