BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Sister Otoole is set to make her first start since 2022 in her native Florida as the 7-year-mare is among nine fillies and mares entered for the Grade 3 La Prevoyante at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The La Prevoyante will be run at a mile-and-a-half on the turf and Sister Otoole will also be trying to earn a share of the $20,000 Florida-bred Top 3 bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. The bonus is paid on a 50%-30%-20% schedule.
The La Prevoyante is one of seven graded stakes on the Saturday card at Gulfstream that is headlined by the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.
In a vagabond career that has seen her start at 11 different tracks during her 23 lifetime races, Sister Otoole spent the second half of last year commuting between New York and Southern California. In four starts in 2024, Sister Otoole won the $100,000 CTT and TOC at Del Mar for the second time and was third in both the Grade 3 Waya won by McKulick during the Belmont at Big A meet in October and in the Grade 3 Red Carpet won by Linda’s Gift at Del Mar in her last race on Nov. 23—all at a mile-and-three-eighths on the turf.
Never worse than fifth in a career with four wins, five seconds and six thirds and earnings of $431,470, Sister Otoole has been a marathon turf specialist since finishing fourth in the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Waya won by My Sister Nat (Fr).
She is by Amira’s Prince (Ire) out of O’Toole, by Distorted Humor and was bred by Helen and Joseph Barbazon.
Trainer Graham Motion has given the riding assignment on Sister Otoole to Oisin Murphy and they will break from post six.
Motion will also saddle Romagna Mia (GB) for owners Team Valor International LLC.
Romagna Mia is on a two-race win streak having won the Grade 3 Rood and Riddle Dowager at a mile-and-a-half on the Keeneland turf on Oct. 22 and the mile-and-a-half Via Borghese, which was moved from the Gulfstream turf to the synthetic course on Dec. 26.
Prior to the Via Borghese, Romagna Mia was third behind winner Fev Rover (Ire) in the Grade 1 Beverly D at Colonial Downs on Aug. 12 in her first start stateside. The 5-year-old daughter of Mastercraftsman (Ire) produced her most prestigious European victory in the Group 2 Premio Lydia Tesio in 2022 at Capanelle Racecourse in Italy.
Romagan Mia has five wins, two seconds and a third in 13 career starts with earnings of $440,029.
John Velazquez has the riding assignment on Romagna Mia and they will depart post one.
Another to watch for is R Calli Kim for trainer Brendan Walsh and owners Averill Racing LLC and Two Eight Racing LLC.
The 6-year-old daughter of Revolutionary also takes a two-race win streak into the La Prevoyante after winning a mile-and-a-half allowance race on the Keeneland turf on Oct. 15 and the Grade 3 Long Island going a mile-and-three-eighths on the inner turf at Aqueduct last out on Nov. 12.
R Calli Kim will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post three.
Completing the field are Viva La Red and jockey Vincent Cheminaud, Alpha Bella with Luis Saez named to ride, Anatolian with Tyler Gaffalione up, Sensitivity will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Tass and rider Javier Castellano and Flavien Prat will be aboard Highland Grace.
