The South Florida Mile
The highlight race on Saturday’s card here in Florida is The South Florida Mile (G3). The race will be held over a mile on the turf track and is open to three-year-olds and up. Despite some threats of rain earlier in the race looks like it should go off on a firm course at its 2:00 PM EST post time. This years race has attracted a total of nine contenders. Let’s take a look at the starters for this years race.
- Shaman Preacher (IRE) – saluki5 – V. Gardner – 3/1
Drawing the inside rail is a six-year-old horse that is sure to be one of the top picks going into this weekend’s race. The Irish-bred horse is a Grade I winner and earner of $845,641. The most recent start for the horse was here in Florida during The Apple Martini Handicap (G3), also at a mile. After breaking towards the rear of the field in the race, the horse would rally to finish second with a speed figure of one hundred sixteen. The most recent win for the horse was last year in Kentucky over a mile on a yielding turf course in The Sourball Mile (G1).
2. Sweet And Low – tseals17 – J. Caves – 13/1
Taking a big step up in class, making his stakes debut, graded or listed, will be this four-year-old colt by Ghostzapper. The colt is coming off of two consecutive wins, both at the allowance level over a mile in California. The most recent of these two races, coming in early February, saw the colt put in a personal best speed figure of one hundred fourteen. Despite skipping listed races, the connections are hopeful that the colt may surprise at 13/1.
3. Wants And Needs (IRE) – beefkeg14 – T. O’Conner – 8/1
Another horse taking a big step up from allowance races and into graded company, this Irish-bred five-year-old gelding is by the late great Galileo (IRE). Also coming off two consecutive wins in allowance caliber races, both in Cananda, the colt has finished off the board only once after being gelded early last year, which was in his only start over the dirt. The most recent start for the colt earned him a victory by a head at the wire with a speed figure of one hundred eighteen.
4. Disputes (JPN) – corza10 – A. Short – 6/1
Also making his graded stakes debut, the Japanese-bred horse has made several starts at the listed stakes level. Most recently the five-year-old bay horse started in a listed stakes in India at seven and a half furlongs. Sent out towards the rear of the field in the race the horse would fade to eleventh at the wire, off the pace by seven and a quarter lengths while setting a speed figure of one hundred four. The most recent win for the horse was in August of last year during a nine furlong allowance race in his native Japan. He was forwardly set, in fourth out of the gate, and won by three and a quarter lengths.
5. Capill (CAN) – sam – PR Smith – 6/1
This four-year-old gelding will be making a return to graded stakes racing, last starting in a graded race in August of last year. The bay, by Cape Canaveral, has been starting in allowance and graded stakes since, and most recently started in a listed stakes last month in Mexico at a mile. Hanging back towards the middle of the field early on, he went on to cross the wire second, setting a speed figure of one hundred eleven. The most recent win for him was last July during an allowance race over the dirt, which was preceded by his only graded start, The Regal Hill (G3) at a mile in New York where he finished ninth.
6. Follow Me A (IRE) – cwk6 – N. Armstrong – 14/1
The longshot of Saturday’s race, this Irish-bred gelding is making his stakes debut as well. The five-year-old, with the exception of his debut race, has ran exclusively here in Florida. His most recent start was in an eight furlong allowance race. The gelding was forwardly placed, just off the pace in third out of the gate, and took the lead in the stretch to win by half a length with a speed figure of one hundred ten. The gelding also won his previous start, another allowance race over the same distance.
7. Tuna Fish B (AUS) – clamsauce – C. Capper – 9/1
Making his first graded start of the year, the Australian-bred gelding has a total of twenty-two lifetime starts and is out of a broodmare earning over one million in lifetime earnings despite not having won a graded stakes. The bay five-year-old made his most recent start in Kentucky in a listed stakes race over seven and a half furlongs. Breaking seventh out of the gate, the gelding maintained this position for much of the race and crossed the wire in sixth with a speed figure of one hundred and four. His most recent win was in November of last year in another listed stakes, this time in Maryland, which he won by a photo at the wire.
8. No Nay Hydrocele (IRE) – harrylanlow44 – O. Ridenour – 9/1
Lightly raced with eleven lifetime starts, the four-year-old colt will be making just his second graded start, and his first graded start since late 2021. The most recent start for the bay colt was in a listed stakes in Mexico over a mile. The colt trailed most of the field early on, gaining steam in the last quarter of the race and went on to win by a length and a half with a lifetime best speed figure of one hundred fourteen. He also won his prior start, another listed stakes over the same distance in Indiana. The only graded start for the colt was in The Summertime (G3) in his two-year-old season, where he finished fifth.
9. Thunderson (JPN) – newastinc – D. Zordich – 2/1
Drawing the post on the far outside in the nine slot, this five-year-old bay gelding will be the favorite going into the race this weekend. The gelding is a Grade II winner and most recently started here in Florida during The Apple Martini Handicap (G3). The gelding broke towards the middle of the pack, made up some ground, but was then overtaken in the stretch by a group of late closers, leaving the gelding to cross the wire in sixth, while setting a speed figure of one hundred thirteen. The race prior to this start was a win for the gelding. This race was an allowance race in Ohio over eight and a half furlongs. The most recent graded win for the gelding was in Japan during the Fried Rice Mile (G2) last July.
Flrancho’s Picks:
Win: Shaman Preacher (IRE)
Place: Thunderson (JPN)
Show: No Nay Hydrocele (IRE)