BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Miller Racing LLC’s Spirit Wind, who has raced at six different tracks in her 15 career starts, may add Oaklawn Park to her list should trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. decide to send her to Arkansas for the $150,000 Poinsettia Saturday. The Florida-bred mare is the 8-5 morning line favorite for the five-and-a-half-furlong contest that has attracted a dozen fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older.
She is also entered in the $140,000 Sugar Swirl set for six furlongs at Gulfstream Park Saturday, a race she won in 2023 when it was a Grade 3.
A two-time stakes winner earlier this year including a three-quarters of a length score in the Grade 2 Honorable Miss at Saratoga Race Course in July, Spirit Wind exits a third-place finish behind winner Upper Case in the $295,000 Dream Supreme going six furlongs at Churchill Downs last out on Nov. 9.
Spirit Wind won the $100,000 Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park going six furlongs in May and has finished out of the top three just once in seven starts this year. She was eighth in the $500,000 Pink Ribbon won by Free Like a Girl going seven furlongs at Charles Towns in August. In one start between the Pink Ribbon and Dream Supreme, Spirit Wind was second to Zeitlos in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America going six furlongs at Keeneland Race Course on Oct. 5.
Spirit Wind is by Double Diamond Farm stallion Bahamian Squall out of Sacred Psalm, by Awesome of Course and was bred in Florida by Jacks or Better Farm Inc. She has won seven of her 15 lifetime starts with three thirds and two seconds while earning $644,090.
Fernando Jara will ride Spirit Wind for the first time and they have drawn post seven.
Also set to carry the Florida flag into the Poinsettia is Ms. Bucchero, who looks to win her second straight added-money affair after taking the $99,000 Willa On the Move over a sloppy six-and-a-half furlongs at Laurel Park on Nov. 29.
Trained by Diane D. Morici, Ms. Bucchero has a consistent mark of two wins and two seconds in five starts this year with her only poor performance coming in her lone try on the grass when ninth in the $100,000 Sensible Lady at Laurel on Sept. 14. She won a six-furlong allowance race going six furlongs on June 21 and was second to Apple Picker in the $100,000 Alma North going six furlongs on July 28, both at Laurel. She started the year finishing second to Empress Deona in a third level, $50,000 optional claiming at Parx Racing in May.
Ms. Bucchero is owned by Morici Racing LLC and has won half of her 14 career starts with three seconds while earning $264,950.
Ms. Bucchero, who is 20-1 in the program, will be ridden by Xavier Perez from post 10.
Royal Spa is the second choice on the morning line at 4-1 after finishing second to Two Sharp in the Grade 3 Chilukki going a mile at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23 in her last race.
That was her second consecutive runner-up performance after finishing behind Shidabhuti in a fourth condition, $175,000 optional claiming going seven furlongs at Keeneland on Oct. 13.
She has won one of seven races this year, a third level, $100,000 optional claiming going seven furlongs at Keeneland on April 26.
By Violence out of Bodacious Babe, by Mineshaft, Royal Spa is owned by Breffni Farm and has earned $442,810 from four win in 13 career starts with two seconds and a third.
She will be ridden by Cristian Torres from the outside post 12.
Rounding out the field are Fibber and jockey Rafael Bejarano, Holly Dolly with rider Iram Diego, Keith Asmussen rides High Class, Laura’s Charm will carry Martin Garcia, Dealing Justice will have Harry Hernandez aboard, Pistol and jockey Francisco Arrieta, Ramon Vasquez takes the call on Asternia, Erik Asmussen will ride Makeup and Ricardo Santana Jr. will guide Girls Weekend.
