Leinster Offspring Top Field for BC Juvenile Turf Sprint Prep
BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The Leinster Hollywood Beach, indeed.
The nine-horse field for Saturday’s $75,000 Leinster Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream Park features three very promising offspring of red-hot freshman sire Leinster, who stands in Florida at Pleasant Acres Stallions, including multiple-stakes winner Lennilu, as well as stakes-placed Squire and Monster.
Patrick Biancone-trained Lennilu is scheduled to make a highly anticipated return to turf in the five-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds after prevailing by a nose in the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the six-furlong first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for fillies on Gulfstream’s main track Sept. 6.
After rallying to win her four-and-a-half-furlong debut over a sloppy Keeneland main track April 6, Lennilu made a highly successful transition to turf with a nearly four-length front-running victory in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at five-furlongs at Gulfstream May 10. With the Royal Palm score, she earned a fees-paid berth into one of six stakes during the Royal Ascot Meet. She went on to finish third behind winner True Love (Ire) in the five-furlong Queen Mary (Group 2) on June 18 before capturing the Desert Vixen.
“She’s good. She has the attitude of a good horse,” Biancone said. “She doesn’t want to get beat.”
Assuming the Hollywood Beach remains on turf, it will be Lennilu’s final prep for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club to be run Oct. 31.
“If it comes off the turf, Lennilu will run the following weekend in Kentucky,” Biancone said.
Lennilu, rated second at 2-1 on the Hollywood Beach morning line, is nominated to the $300,000 Indian Summer presented by Keeneland Select, a five-and-a-half-furlong turf sprint, at Keeneland Sunday, Oct. 5.
Jonathan Ocasio has the return mount on Lennilu, who is owned by Amy Dunne, Cailtin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing LLC, Tranquility Lake Farms LLC, Maury Harrington and Christopher Harrington.
Lennilu is out of Lulu’s Promise, by Pomeroy and was bred in Florida by Helen Barbazon and Joseph Barbazon of Morriston, Fla. She has earned $163,289 in her three starts and has post eight.
Lennilu was purchased by Glencrest Farm for $23,000 out of the Abbie Road Farm consignment at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Winter Mixed Sale.
Amy Dunne and Biancone are also well represented by Squire in the Hollywood Beach field.
Squire, like Lennilu, has demonstrated versatility in his brief career.
The 2-year-old gelding overcame bumping at the start of his four-and-a-half-furlong debut on April 18 to win by a head at Gulfstream. He returned on turf to finish second in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile behind Sandal’s Song, who went on to finish third in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot. Squire finished fifth on dirt last time out following a less-than-ideal trip in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the six-furlong first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.
An earner of $74,560, Squire is out of Saudi Chroma, by Lucky Pulpit and was bred in Florida by Amy E. Dunne and Ciaran G. Dunne.
Dalila Rivera has the call on Squire from post seven and they are rated third in the program at 9-2.
Arindel’s Monster, who finished fourth and fifth in his first two career starts in Kentucky, demonstrated a distinct preference for turf while scoring a nine-length, front-running victory in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream May 23.
“He really likes the turf and he really likes the turf here,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “It’s not soft ground, and he really likes that.”
Monster, who is favored at 9-5 on the morning line, set the pace in the $139,000 Skidmore going five-and-a-half furlongs on the turf at Saratoga on Aug. 16 before settling for a second behind Bobrovsky, a highly regarded Dale Romans-trained son of Daredevil.
Monster’s performance in the Hollywood Beach will dictate his next start.
“I’d like to go to the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Angelo said.
An earner of $84,751, Monster is out of Dienda, by Kantharos and was bred in Florida by Dr. Ross Russell and Deeann Smith Cavanaugh.
Edgard Zayas, who was aboard Monster for his sensational maiden-breaker, returns to the saddle and has post nine for the Leinster Hollywood Beach.
“I like his post,” D’Angelo said. “We have to go.”
D’Angelo is also represented in the Hollywood Beach field by Fugget About It Racing Stables’ Itza Lock, a gelded son of Silver State who is coming off a front-running three-and-a-half-length maiden romp at Gulfstream in his second career start in a five-furlong maiden special weight on Tapeta.
“He is really improving. That’s why I’m giving him a chance in the stakes,” D’Angelo said.
Samy Camacho is scheduled to ride Itza Lock for the first time Saturday.
Daugherty Racing LLC’s Win N Juice, a Florida-bred son of Ocala Stud stallion Win Win Win, figures to make his presence felt in the Hollywood Beach. After finishing sixth in his debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile, he graduated at five furlongs on turf at Gulfstream June 20 and finished second behind Hey Nay Nay in the $98,000 Tyro at five furlongs on turf at Monmouth on Aug. 2. Undefeated Hey Nay Nay went on to win the Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3). The Nolan Ramsey trainee failed to menace in the $946,000 Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs in his most recent start.
Win N Juice is out of Famous, by Vindication and was bred by Ocala Stud. He has earnings of $80,440 and will break from post six with Miguel Vasquez aboard.
Ramsey is also scheduled to saddle Robert Proulx’s Street Player, who is set to make his first start on turf after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream in his second career start and finishing off the board in a pair of stakes.
Yolber Torres has the mount on Street Player, who has post three.
Candido Vargas and Darinel Arguela’s The Princess Bro, a daughter of Win Win Win trained by Kevin McKathan; and Leon Ellman, Glassman Racing LLC and Laurie Plesa’s Timeless Victory, a son of By My Standards trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., are slated to make their respective stakes debuts coming off debut maiden special weight victories.
Trainer Daniel Hurtak’s Zevi’s Zone, a son of Uncle Chuck who graduated first off the claim in a $35,000 maiden claimer at five-furlongs on Tapeta, rounds out the field.
Return to the September 26 issue of Wire to Wire
