BY BROCK SHERIDAN
A recent winner of the $150,000 Pumpkin Pie at Aqueduct during the Belmont at Big A meet, Florida-bred Nic’s Style returns to the Sunshine State as the 4-5 morning line favorite in the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes City of Ocala at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. Trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Bill Mott, Nic’s Style will race seven furlongs while taking on six other fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and older, by registered Florida stallions.
The lightly raced Nic’s Style began her career with success in Florida under trainer Ralph Nicks, winning a maiden special weight for fillies at Gulfstream Park by six-and-a-quarter lengths in her only start as a 2-year-old. After more than 19 months off, the bay filly returned with aplomb to dominate a first condition, $20,000 optional claiming for Florida-bred fillies and mares, winning by 10 ¼ lengths over six-and-a-half furlongs at Gulfstream, before going to the sidelines for another eight months.
Owner Steve Rousseau then sent her to Mott’s barn in New York where she remained undefeated in her third start by trouncing an allowance field of fillies and mares at Saratoga, winning by nearly six lengths going six furlongs. She suffered her first loss when second in the slop to Ways and Means in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom during the Belmont at Big A meet on Sept. 29 before winning the seven-furlong Pumpkin Pie by three-and-a-quarter lengths going seven furlongs on Nov. 3.
Rousseau purchased Nic’s Style for $25,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales October Yearling Sale out of Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield consignment. The 4-year-old bay filly has since earned $268,400 from winning four of five career starts with one second.
Junior Alvarado, who has been aboard Nic’s Style for all five races, gets the return mount and they will break from the inside post one.
Virginia Gamble’s homebred Beth’s Dream, a winner of four straight including the $99,000 Sheer Drama at Gulfstream before finishing second last out against graded company, has been labeled the 9-5 second choice on the morning line for the City of Ocala.
The Victor Barboza Jr. trainee started her streak by taking an upper level, $62,500 optional claiming in March before winning the $75,000 My Pal Chrisy overnight handicap by nearly four lengths on April 27, both going a mile at Gulfstream. She remained at a mile at Gulfstream for the $75,000 Mo’ Green overnight handicap on June 23 and won by two-and-three-quarters before taking the $99,000 Sheer Drama by four lengths at seven furlongs on Aug. 17.
Her winning streak was broken when she finished second in her last race to future Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1)-winner Soul of an Angel in the Grade 3 Princess Rooney going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Sept. 21.
Beth’s Dream is by Jess’s Dream out of Gator Brew, by Milwaukee Brew and has won nine with three seconds and two thirds in 17 starts and earning $495,167.
Samy Camacho gets the call on Beth’s Dream and they will break from post four.
Other’s set for the FSS City of Ocala are R Disaster with Paco Morales in the irons, Antonio Gallardo rides Olga, Dream Concert and jockey Juan Batista, Battle Cry with rider Samuel Marin and Jesus Castanon rides Hopesndreams.
