BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Golden Kernel Racing Stable’s Lady Cha Cha has been labeled the 2-1 morning line favorite for Friday’s seventh race at Gulfstream Park, a first level, $20,000 optional claiming for Florida-bred fillies and mares. With a purse of $48,000, the race has attracted a field of seven scheduled to go a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass.
Trained by Laura Cazares, Lady Cha Cha will be looking for her second straight victory having won a $5,000 starter allowance going a mile on the Gulfstream Park turf on April 18.
She’s making her second start for Cazares, who claimed the daughter of Vino Rosso for $50,000 out of a fourth-place finish in a one-mile starter allowance on the grass won by Roscoe Village at Gulfstream on March 14.
Lady Cha Cha has earned $61,660 from two victories in five career starts with one third. She is out of the graded stakes-placed Florida-bred mare Peisinoe, by Yes It’s True and was a $110,000 purchase by Bach Stables at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale. She was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield.
Kent Desormeaux will ride Lady Cha Cha from post five.
Trainer Joseph Orseno will saddle Prettykeen, a homebred for Frank Vicino’s Vicino Racing Stable of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Prettykeen exits a third-place finish last out behind winner Judge Judith and runner-up Burnaway in a first level, $20,000 optional claiming going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream on May 5. Prettykeen will again face Burnaway Friday.
Prettykeen has one win in 30 career starts with three seconds and six thirds with field-best earnings of $108,255. She is by Keen Ice out of Pretty Extravagant, by With Distinction and is a half-sister to Florida-bred millionaire Extravagant Kid.
Edgard Zayas has the mount on Prettykeen from post six and they are the 5-2 second choice in the program.
Burnaway is 3-1 on the morning line and has post seven for trainer David Fawkes, who owns the 4-year-old daughter of Big Drama in the name of his Fawkes Racing Inc.
Burnaway looks for her second career win after winning a $40,000 maiden optional claiming going the Gulfstream Park synthetic on Dec. 14.
Burnaway is out of Bold Char, by General Quarters and was bred by Harold Queen.
Leonel Reyes will ride from post seven.
Rounding out the field are Lets Go Koko with jockey Edwin Gonzalez, Neom City and rider Cipriano Gil, Sprezzatura carries Luca Panici and Plankton will be ridden by Elijah Greenidge.
