BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Edward Seltzer’s Bluefield won last year’s Musical Romance, as an overnight handicap, by four lengths and will try to repeat that performance under black-type conditions Saturday in the $100,000 Musical Romance Handicap. A field of nine fillies and mares, 3-year-old and older, are entered to go six-and-a-half furlongs.
Bluefield and four other Florida-breds will be chasing a $20,000 top 3 Florida-bred bonus presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Bluefield has been assigned the top weight of 124 pounds, giving away between five and 12 pounds to her rivals.
She started the year finishing second to Olivia Darling in the Grade 2 Inside Information for fillies and mares going seven furlongs at Gulfstream on Jan. 27. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. then sent her to Laurel Park for the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie on Feb. 17 where she finished fifth behind winner Apple Picker going seven furlongs.
She was then given three months away from the races, returning to win an upper level, $62,500 optional claiming going six furlongs on May 16.
Bluefield is by Field Commission out of Imtheblues, by Pentelicus and the 8-year-old mare was bred by Ed Pendray and Edward A. Seltzer. She has won nine of 29 career races with four seconds and three thirds while earning $415,375.
Bluefield is the second choice on the morning line at 5-2 and Drayden Van will ride from post two.
Joseph has also entered Imonra for Peter Vegso’s Vegso Racing Stables Inc.
The 4-year-old filly returns to Gulfstream Park from New York where she was fifth in the Grade 3 Vagrancy won by Leave No Trace on May 18 during the Belmont at Big A meet. Her previous three starts all came at Gulfstream, including a victory against upper level, $62,500 optional claiming fillies and mares going six furlongs on April 4 and a second to Florida-bred Maryquitecontrary in the $150,000 Rampart in December.
Imonra is by Violence out of Light Bringer. She has earned $218,150 from three wins, four seconds and a third in 12 career starts.
Anthony Thomas has the call on Imonra and they will break from post six. Imonra is the 2-1 morning line favorite and has been assigned 119 pounds.
Other Florida-breds entered include Olga, who exits a length-and-a-half score against first condition, $25,000 optional claimers in her last race on May 12.
Trained by Juan Alvarado, Olag is an Arindel homebred by their stallion Brethren. She is out of Sweet Khaleesi, by Maimonides and she has won four of 16 career starts with five seconds and five thirds with earnings of $204,670.
Emisael Jaramillo will ride Olga from post three and they are 12-1 on the morning line. Olga has a 117-pound impost.
Florida-bred Anatomy is trained by Jose D’Angelo and comes out of a second-place finish to Talkin Tipsy in a first condition, $25,000 optional claiming going five furlongs on the synthetic course.
Bred by Los Samanes, Anatomy is by Liam’s Map out of Quality Light, by Elusive Quality and has won three of 10 starts with three seconds and two thirds with earnings of $125,800.
Owned by New Horizon Farm Inc. and Los Samanes Inc., Anatomy will be ridden by Miguel Vasquez from post five. She is 10-1 in the program and will carry 116 pounds.
Florida-bred Hihellohowareyou was fifth in the May 16 optional claiming won by Bluefield with Musical Romance rival Cousin Kristi second.
Hihellowhowareyou is also trained by Jose D’Angelo, who has given the riding assignment to Leonel Reyes.
Owned by Gold Square LLC, Hihellowhowareyou is by Ocala Stud stallion Awesome Slew out of Additional Prayer, by Songandaprayer and was bred by Janet Irwin.
Hihellohowareyou has post eight, is 8-1 on the morning line and has been assigned 117 pounds.
Florida-bred Athena’s Wisdom will be making her first starts since winning a first condition, $16,000 optional claiming going six furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs on May 4.
By Ride On Curlin out of the Leroidesanimaux (Brz) mare Gold Charisma, Athena’s Wisdom is trained by Gerald Bennett for James Georgeades’ JPG 2 LLC Majestic Racing Inc., Patrick Scanlon’s Majestic Racing and Mary Bennett’s Winning Stables Inc.
Athena’s Wisdom is 15-1 on the morning line and will be ridden by Edwin Gonzalez from post nine. She has been assigned 117 pounds.
Rounding out the field are Mohave Desert with Skyler Spanabel taking the riding assignment, Batacuda and jockey Cipriano Gil and Hector Diaz Jr. rides Cousin Kristi.