Ft. Lauderdale S. (G2) — Race 10 (4:32 p.m. ET)
Saturday’s $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale S. (G2) at Gulfstream Park lacks much in the way of standout, but that has enticed a full field of entrants for the nine-furlong grass fixture, which may serve for some as a prep for next month’s Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1).
The betting public is sure to focus on a handful or so. Stranded for the time being in post 14 is the former English mainstay Space Traveller, who was beaten just over two lengths in both the Woodbine Mile (G1) and Keeneland Turf Mile (G1) for trainer Brendan Walsh.
Doswell and Breaking the Rules, the respective second- and third-place finishers in last year’s edition of the Ft. Lauderdale, could contend again. Doswell enters off a pair of third-place finishes against allowance foes in New York, while Breaking the Rules is far better than his seventh in the Artie Schiller S. at Aqueduct last time would suggest.
“He ran into all kinds of trouble last year and still ran well,” trainer Barclay Tagg said of Doswell.
Trainer Chad Brown’s duo of L’Imperator, who beat Doswell last time at Aqueduct, and graded veteran Analyze It look well spotted. The latter flirted with Grade 1 glory multiple times as a three-year-old in 2018, but has competed primarily in allowance company this term.
Trainer Saffie Joseph’s Renaisance Frolic is a stakes winner over the course and enters off a three-month freshening, while Mike Maker’s trio of starters includes Atone, a dual allowance winner over his last three starts.
Earlier in the card, the $100,000 Suwannee River S. (G3) for fillies and mares at one mile on the turf attracted a field of 12. Potential market leaders include Grade 3 winners Shifty She and Alms, and the Shug McGaughey-trained In a Hurry.
