Dual classic winner FUNNY CIDE (Distorted Humor) will seek a measure of
redemption when he returns to the races in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector H. (G3),
one of the three stakes on the first Saturday of the 2006 Gulfstream Park
meeting. The six-furlong event shares the spotlight with the $100,000 Hal’s Hope
H. (G3) and the $125,000 Aventura S. for three-year-olds.
Winner of the 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1), Funny Cide was bothered by a
back injury and went winless last year, concluding his season with a sixth in
the Suburban H. (G2) in early July. The six-year-old gelding will use the Mr.
Prospector as a prep for the February 4 Donn H. (G1).
“I’d been looking around for a seven-eighths race to get him going again, but
there’s no stakes or money allowance races like that,” trainer Barclay Tagg
said. “(The six-furlong distance is) not ideal, but I don’t want to fatigue him
too much by coming back at a mile and an eighth and knock him out for the Donn.”
NIGHTMARE AFFAIR (Out of Place), winner of the Major Moran S. and Groomstick
H. in his last two starts, and FRIENDLY ISLAND (Crafty Friend), who exits a good
fourth in the Frank J. DeFrancis Memorial Dash S. (G1), are among the
challengers.
The complete field, from the rail with riders and weights, is Funny Cide,
Edgar Prado, 115; SIR GREELEY (Mr. Greeley), Javier Castellano, 114; WAR FRONT (Danzig),
Jose Santos, 113; Friendly Island, John Velazquez, 116; GAFF (Maria’s Mon),
Shaun Bridgmohan, 113; STORM SURGE (Storm Cat), Jerry Bailey, 113; Nightmare
Affair, Rafael Bejarano, 116; and PISGAH (Good and Tough), Roberto Alvarado Jr.,
113.
PHILANTHROPIST (Kris S.) and SEEK GOLD (Touch Gold) are the top draws for the
nine-furlong Hal’s Hope. The well-bred Philanthropist made his stakes debut a
winning one in the December 10 Queens County H. (G3), boldly re-rallying for a
neck decision, and the Shug McGaughey charge will pick up the services of Prado
on Saturday. Seek Gold exits a commendable runner-up placing to stablemate
Andromeda’s Hero (Fusaichi Pegasus) in the Fred W. Hooper H. (G3), and the
six-year-old will be making his third start off the layoff for trainer Nick Zito.
Philanthropist will head the post parade under a 115-pound impost. Next comes
Seek Gold, Bejarano, 114; RICARDO A (Out of Place), Eddie King Jr., 113;
ITSAWONDERFULIFE (Skip Away), Rajiv Maragh, 112; ON THIN ICE (Tactical Cat),
Bridgmohan, 114; NETWORK (Pulpit), Javier Castellano, 114; NIIGON (Unbridled),
Cornelio Velasquez, 117; WIGGINS (Cartwright), Mark Guidry, 113; and DAZZLING
DR. CEVIN (Cutlass Fax), Velazquez, 112.
The one-mile, one-turn Aventura S. kicks off the Triple Crown trail in South
Florida with a full field of 14 sophomores. Todd Pletcher will saddle the
unbeaten MY GOLDEN SONG (Unbridled’s Song), who exits convincing maiden and
optional claiming wins in New York, and Zito has LITTLE CLIFF (Gulch),
who will make his stakes bow off a four-length allowance victory at Churchill
Downs.
SAINT DAIMON (Saint Ballado), who kicked clear for a 3 3/4-length decision in
the Huntington S. last time after breaking his maiden by daylight in his
previous outing, is another dangerous entrant, and ITSALLBOUTTHECHASE (Devil His
Due), who exits a smart allowance tally going two turns at Churchill, will draw
some interest. IN SUMMATION (Put It Back), winner of the Affirmed and Dr. Fager
divisions of the Florida Stallion S. series and second by a nose in the In
Reality most recently, will tackle open stakes company in the Aventura for
conditioner Frank Gomez.
From the rail, the contestants and jockeys are My Golden Song, Velazquez; BIG
LOVER (Ecton Park), Alvarado; BARCOLA (Old Trieste), Chris DeCarlo; DOCTOR
DECHERD (Louis Quatorze), Bridgmohan; Saint Daimon, Andrew Lakeman; D’BROKEN
SPEED (Broken Vow), Velasquez; CATCOMINATCHA (Tale of the Cat), Castellano;
CORINTHIAN (Pulpit), Santos; In Summation, Bailey; Itsallboutthechase, Guidry;
LAKE KERR (Precocity), Manny Aguilar; DIXIE SWINGER (Unbridled’s Song), Prado;
LIQUOREUX (Carson City), Mike Smith; and Little Cliff, Bejarano.
Stakes winners Saint Daimon, Catcominatcha and In Summation all carry 120
pounds. The rest tote 116.