BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Three young Florida-breds will make their stakes debut Saturday at Saratoga Race Course as Call the Cavalry, Jive and Dickens have been entered in the Grade 3

Sanford. The Sanford offers a $175,000 purse to 10 juveniles going six furlongs on the main track with the Steve Asmussen-trained Gold Sweep expected to be the post time favorite.

Two of the three Florida-breds will race in the colors of Brian Cohen’s BC Racing LLC in Jive and Dickens, both of which are eligible for the $1.2 million FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series to be run at Gulfstream Park later this year.

Jive won his first start on May 19 when he took a five-furlong maiden special weight by three-quarters of a length at Gulfstream Park. Trained by Juan Alvarado in his first start, Jive was that day the first winner and first starter for his sire, St Patrick’s Day, who stands in Florida at Journeyman Stud.

Jive tried to make his stakes debut on June 11 in the $150,000 Tremont at Belmont Park, but a paddock mishap forced him to withdraw from the race which was eventually won by Gold Sweep.

Out of Skylarbdancing, by Sky Mesa, Jive was bred by Jennifer A. Johnson and Gillian K. Johnson and was a $23,000 purchase by Brian Cohen at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales January Winter Mixed Sale where he was consigned by Richard Kent’s Kaizen Sales.

Now trained by Philip Serpe, Jive has earnings of $43,000 and will break from post two Saturday with jockey Junior Alvardo.

Dickens also broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park as he defeated fellow Florida-breds in a four-and-a-half furlongs maiden special weight by two lengths on June 10.

The bay colt is trained by Juan Alvarado and is also a graduate of the 2022 OBS Winter Mixed Sale where Cohen took him for $20,000 out of the Sue Vacek consignment. Dickens is by Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of the unraced Malibu Moon mare Malibu Melody and earned $36,000 in his lone start.

Bred by John B. Penn, Dickens will be ridden by Edgard Zayas from post three.

Trainer Kenneth McPeek will saddle Call the Cavalry for owner Back Racing LLC, Run for LaRoses and Sherri McPeek’s Magdalena Racing.

By Journeyman Stud’s leading Florida sire Khozan out of Song and Delight, Call the Cavalry won his first race by two lengths in a five furlong maiden special weight at Bemont Park on June 4.

He was bred by Craig L. Wheeler, who consigned him to last year’s OBS Winter Mixed Sale where he was purchased for $65,000 by McPeek as agent.

Irad Ortiz Jr. gets the return mount on Call the Cavalry and they will depart from post one.

Call the Cavalry, Jive and Dickens will each try to become the 11th Florida-bred winner of the Sanford and the first since Firenze Fire in 2017. Other Florida-bred Sanford winners include Uncle Vinny in 2015, Backtalk (2009), Afleet Alex (2004), Chapel Royale (2003), Kelly Kip (1996), Sovereign Don (1985), Big Walt (1983), Copelan (1982), Affirmed (1977) and Flame Tree (1965).

Gold Sweep dominated the five-and-a-half furlongs Tremont Stakes with a nine-length romp to win for the first time after finishing second to Wilson Q against special weight maidens at Churchill Downs going five furlongs in his first career race on May 18.

Owned by Mike McCarty, Gold Sweep is by Speightstown out of Wonder Brew, by Giant’s Causeway and is the richest among the Sanford field with $106,500. His second dam, Ginger Brew, was a Canadian Champion. McCarty purchased Gold Sweep as yearling for $285,000 at the 2022 Fasig Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Indian Creek.

Another OBS graduate in the Sanford Entries is Yo Yo Candy, a $35,000 selection by Tom Lamont out of the Triple J Equine Stables consignment at this year’s March Sale.

Now owned by Happy Tenth Stable, Yo Yo Candy is trained by Daniel Velazquez and looks to improve on his third-place finish in the Tremont.

By Danzig Candy out of Yolanda B. Too, by Two Punch, Yo Yo Candy won his first race at Parx on May 23 when he defeated special weight maidens by three lengths going four-and-a-half furlongs.

Yo Yo Candy has earnings of $45,000 from his two starts and breaks from post four. Abel Castillo, who has ridden the colt in his previous two races, gets the return mount.

Completing the Sanford entries are Factor U and Me In, who will be ridden Kendrick Carmouche; Ramming Speed with jockey Gaddiel Martinez, Triple Trea with Luis Saez up, His Rights with Jose Ortiz in the saddle and Market Street with jockey Tyler Gaffalione.