BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Lady Cha Cha and Chi Chi will represent Florida breeders Saturday at Gulfstream Park when they try to upset Majestic Venezuela going a mile on the turf in the $75,000 Miss Gracie. Nine 3-year-old fillies are entered for the Miss Gracie, which also offers a $20,000 Top 3 Bonus for Florida-breds presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Trainer Laura Cazares has Lady Cha Cha making her first start against stakes fillies after winning her last two races on the Gulfstream turf. The bay filly was a neck winner of a $50,000 starter allowance going a mile on April 18 and improved to score by two-and-a-half lengths last out when facing first condition, $20,000 optional claiming fillies bred in Florida at eight-and-a-half furlongs on May 31.
Lady Cha Cha is owned by Golden Kernel Racing Stable and was bred in Florida by English Range Farm. She has won half of her six career starts with one third while earning $87,460.
Lady Cha Cha is by Vino Rosso out of Peisinoe, by Yes It’s True and was a $110,000 purchase by Bach Stables at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale out of the Summerfield consignment of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck.
Lady Cha Cha is 6-1 on the morning line and will be ridden from post eight by Miguel Vasquez.
Chi Chi brings the most experience into the Miss Gracie with 10 lifetime starts, eight of which have come in stakes.
The bay daughter of Audible won her first two races against black-type company, taking the $50,000 E.L. Gaylord Memorial at Remington Park in September and the $60,000 Juvenile Fillies Sprint at Gulfstream in November.
In four starts this year, her best efforts came when third in both the Grade 3 Forward Gal won by Florida-bred R Harper Rose going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Feb. 3 and in the $102,000 Any Limit won by Launch going six furlongs at Gulfstream on March 17.
In her last race on June 1 at Gulfstream, Chi Chi was fourth in the $75,000 Game Face won by Miuccia going six furlongs.
Chi Chi is trained by Herman Wilensky for Ernest C. Frohboese and she has two wins with a second and two thirds and earnings of $135,158.
She is by Audible out of Simply Confection by Candy Ride (Arg) and was bred by France Weiner.
Jesus Rios will ride from post one and they are listed at 12-1 in the program.
The 5-2 morning line favorite is Majestic Venezuela for trainer Victor Barboza Jr.
A homebred for Orlyana Farm, Majestic Venezuela exits a second-place finish to DeRegreso in the $75,000 Martha Washington going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on synthetic at Gulfstream on June 8.
Majestic Valenzuela has jockey Emisael Jaramillo from post two.
Rounding out the entries are Catholika with Sonny Leon aboard, Drayden Van Dyke rides Mojave Desert, Candy Gray and jockey Edgard Zayas, Mi Amore will have Hector Diaz Jr. in the saddle, Show Off with rider Leonel Reyes and Carrington has Jose Morelos taking the assignment.
