BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Fly With Me and Tami Bobo’s stakes-placed Improptude is among a trio of Florida-bred 3-year-olds set for the $75,000 Trinniberg overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park Sunday along with Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s stakes-winning Pure Class and Just for Fun Stable Inc.’s Brawn.
Improptude, a chestnut son of Journeyman Stud stallion Khozan, has been assigned the second top weight of 120 pounds in the field of eight sophomores scheduled for seven furlongs, four pounds lighter than high-weight Frankie’s Empire.
Second to Beeline in the $106,000 Hutcheson going six furlongs at Gulfstream on March 16, Improptude was third in one start since. The Antonio Sano trainee finished four-and-a-half lengths behind winner General Ledger in a first level, $75,000 optional claiming going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on April 28.
He won for the first time on Feb. 2 at Gulfstream when besting $50,000 optional claiming maidens after six-and-a-half furlongs before winning a first condition, $50,000 optional claiming by a neck after seven furlongs on Feb. 23.
Improptude has earned $120,980 from two wins, two seconds and three thirds in 10 career starts. Bred in Florida by Bobo, Improptude is out of the unraced Tiznow mare Tizlot.
Emisael Jaramillo will ride Improptude from post seven and they are 5-1 in the program.
Pure Class will try to win for the third time in four starts this year, including a length-and-a-quarter score in the $110,000 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Sophomore going seven furlongs on Florida Cup Day at Tampa Bay Downs on March 24.
He started the year with a two-length triumph against Florida-bred allowance horses going six furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 26 but disappointed last time out when fifth in the aforementioned optional claiming won by General Ledger on April 28.
Pure Class is trained by David Fawkes and was also bred by the Lieblongs. By The Big Beast out of I’mclassyandsassy, Pure Class is a full brother to last year’s Andy Guest-winning Florida-bred filly Sassy Beast and graded stakes-placed Florida-bred Big and Classy.
Pure Class has three wins and three seconds from eight lifetime starts with earnings of $176,790.
He has been assigned to carry 119 pounds including jockey Edgard Zayas and will break from post two. Pure Class is 6-1 on the morning line.
Brawn switches back to the main track in hopes of improving on a ninth-place finish in the $80,000 English Channel won by Freedom Principle going a mile on the Gulfstream turf on May 4. His previous race was more true to form having won a first condition, $50,000 optional claiming for Florida-breds at a mile on the main track at Gulfstream on March 27.
By Neolithic, who stands at Pleasant Acres Stallions, Brawn is out of Kandhara, by Indian Charlie and was also bred by Just for Fun Stable Inc.
Brawn is trained by Ruben Sierra and will carry from post one jockey Jesus Rios. Brawn is 15-1 in the program and has an 118-pound impost.
Frankie’s Empire will make his first start since finishing sixth behind champion Fierceness in the nine-furlong Curlin Florida Derby presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa (Grade 1) at Gulfstream on March 30.
Michael Yates will saddle Frankie’s Empire for owner Frank DeLuca in hopes of improving on his career record of four wins and two thirds in nine starts.
In two other starts this year, Frankie’s Empire won the $125,000 Swale going seven furlongs on Feb. 3 and was third behind winner Dornoch in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on March 2, both at Gulfstream.
By Classic Empire, Frankie’s Empire was a $20,000 purchase by bloodstock agent Brenda Zoppo at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale where he was consigned by McKathan Brothers Sales. He has $250,700 in career earnings.
Miguel Vasquez has the assignment on Frankie’s Empire, who is 9-5 on the morning line, and they will break from post five.
Also entered for the Trinniberg are Papeete and jockey Luca Panici, Unequivocally with Leonel Reyes named to ride and Sonny Leon has the mount on Big City.
