Field of Fourteen for Florida Turf

The fifteenth race on the card this weekend in Florida is the Florida Turf (G3). The race is a total of a mile and three sixteenths in distance and is held over the turf. The race is open to three year olds and up. The weather this week in Florida has been crystal clear with no gray skies to be found. The Florida Turf this weekend will be listed as firm at post time this Saturday. The race has drawn a full field of fourteen horses, lets take a look at each of the contenders.

Drawing the rail in the race is Golden Calf (Holy Bull x Gulch x Stage Door Johnny), who is out of the graded placed dam La Cecil, and is owned and trained by boeufcake, owner of Beefcake Stables. The six year old light gray horse has a total of thirty-seven lifetime starts. Eight of these races have ended in wins for the striking gray horse, all of them have come over a turf track. The horses most recent start came last month in the nine furlong Sand Castle Fee Duty (G1) where the horse finished figth after being rated back in the middle of the pack until late in the stretch. The horse record a speed figure of one hundred five. Boeufcake is a realitively new owner of this horse, whom they recieved late last year in a $50,000 claiming race. The horse has improved by leaps and bounds under his new training, his speed figure jumping to consistent triple digits his first race out. All his races under his new owner previous to the Sand Castle Free Duty resulted in finishes on the board for the gray horse.

In the second post is our favoite Lookadat Von (Aldebaran x King Of Kings (IRE) x Bold Bidder), who is trained by theodore5, owner of Theo Stables Inc. The six year old bay horse has had a total of thirty-eight lifetime starts. The horse has won eight of his career races, with six of these victories coming over a turf track. Though not his better surface, the horse has also proven versatile by winning two races on the dirt, along with seven finishes in second. His most recent start came last month in the B. Orphan (IRE) Challenge where the horse finished second, back by just one and a half lengths and recording a speed figure of one hundred seven. His most recent graded start also came last month in the Jennifer Connley BC Turf Cap (G3) where the horse finished nine lengths back in tenth.

Longshot Oh Man (Awesome Again x Mr. Prospector x Tom Fool), who is owned by pokemyeyeo, owner of Timmn Stables is next in the field. The five year old bay horse has had a total of twenty-two career starts, of which just three have ended in wins. One of these career wins came over the dirt, while the other two have come over a turf track. The horses mosts recent start came last month in North California in an eight and a half furlong allowance caliber start over the dirt, where the colt finished a disappointing eigth, thirteen lengths back wtih a speed figure of ninety-one. His previoius race, also an allowance calbier race, but this time in the turf, resulted in a third place finish and a speed figure of ninety-eight. His most recented garded stakes start came late last year during the Flying Carpet Handicap (G2) where the bay colt crosse the wire in seventh.

In the fourth slot is Barb’s Comfort (IRE) (Theatrical (IRE) x Seeking The Gold x A.P, Indy), who is owned by marybarn, owner of Jakematt Stables. The six year old brown horse has had a total of forty-two career starts, of which fifteen of these races have ended in wins. All of the horses fifteen wins have come over a turf track. During his racing career the brown six year old has earned a total of $1.106,490 in lifetime earnings. His most recent start came last month in the ten and a half furlong in the ungraded Exter Weapon (GB) Memorial where the horse broke out of the gate mid pack from the inside post and began to pick off the front runners early on in the race. The horse eventually went on to win the race by three and one-fourth lengths with a speed figure of one hundred seven. The horse will be returning to graded stakes this weekend after a long break into the ungraded allowance fields. The horses mosst recent graded start came in 2006 during the Eclipse Stakes (G1) where the horse finished fourth.

With morning line odds of 13/1 is Hester St. (IRE) (Sadler’s Wells x Rainbow Quest x Northern Dancer), who is out of the graded stakes winning dam Tess Carlisle, and is trained and owned by rohan, owner of Galileo Stables. The four year old Irish-bred colt has been lightly raced thorughout his racing career with a total of just thirteen lifetime starts. Six of these thirteen races have ended in wins for the bay colt, and all of them have come over a turf track. The colts most recent start came last month in Norway during the ungraded Mammoth Fuzz Special over nine and a hafl furlongs. The colt broke out of the gate and stalked behind the pace in third. By the time the field reached the turn the colt had moved up into second. However, the colt lost some ground in the stretch and ultimately crossed the wire just three-foruth lengths off the lead in third while setting a speed figure of ninety-eight. Though perhaps not having the most impressive of speed figures, the colt has finished in the money in seven of his last eight starts. The single race in which he finished out of the money was in the QE2 Challenge (G1) late last year, which is also his most recent graded stakes start.

Next is Chop Em Dane (Wando x Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Hail To Reason), who is owned and trained by meguire6th, owner of Meguire Stables. The four year old bay colt has had a total of twenty-one lifetime starts. The colt has one five of his career starts, four of which have come over a dirt track. The colt has also managed to secure one win over the dirt as well. His most recent start came last month in the ungraded B. Orpahn (IRE) Challenge over nine and a half furlongs in California. The colt crossed the wire in seventh after getting off to a sketchy start an never firing in the stretch. The colt recroded a speed figure of one hundred one for the race. The colts most recent graded stakes start came late last year in the Pennsylvania Handicap (G1) where the colt finished a well-beaten twelth in the field. Perhaps with a little more seasoning the colt will make better progress in this Saturday’s race.

A late entry into the field is Testkov (IRE) (Montjeu (IRE) x Cat Thief x Woodman), and is out of the race-winning dam Blackmailer, who is owed by tremguis, owner of Tremguis Stables. The four year old Irish-bred colt has been lightly raced with a total of fourteen lifetime starts. Six of these career starts have ended in wins for the colt, all of them coming over a turf track. His most recent start came in the Exter Weapon (GB) Memorial where the colt finished fourth with a speed figure of one hundred one. The colt has impressively been in the money in every lifetime start so far of his racing career. This Saturday’s Florida Turf will be the colts first attempt at a graded stakes caliber race

Following will be S R King Oil (AUS) (High Rolling (AUS) x Mr. Reddy x Efisio (GB)), who is trained by jeffdrew, oner of The Big Pil Conlomerate. The six year old bay horse has had a total of thirty-one career starts, of which have have ended in wins for the tall bay horse. All of the horses wins have come on the turf track, along with five palces and nine shows,. His most recent start came in February during an eleven furlong allowance caliber start in Athens which the colt on going away by two and one-fourth lengths after the colt was held back in ninth after breaking out of the gate and was urgred forward to challenge the front runners in the turn. He will be returning to graded stakes this week after a two week allowance caliber step down after a tireing effort in the Mean Joe Green Classic (G3) where the colt finished fifth.

In with odds of 8/1 is Palinyewah (AUS) (Redoute’s Choice x Sadler’s Wells x Explosive Bid), who is out of the graded stakes winning dam Club Wondering, and is trained by willyam40, owner of Wfstables3 Stables. This five year old brown horse has had a total of twenty-seven lifetime starts. Five of these career starts have ended in victory for the tall horse, all of them coming over a turf tack. His most recent start came last month in Texas during the Jennifer Connley BC Turf Cup (G3) where the horse finished a disappointing thirteenth in the race after running along in seventh and then falling back in the turn. The horse set a speed figure of ninety-three. The horses past few races haven’t been anything exceptionally noteworthy, his best finish in his last four starts was a fifth place finish in the Strange Brew Turf Handicap (G3). Previoiusly though, the horse has done very will in stakes caliber races, and perhaps this may be the weekend where the brown colt will refind is old form.

In the tenth slot is Hr De Fond (Chateau Royal x Le Fabuleux x Native Prospector), who is owned by wonder4, owner of Zeco Stables Belgium. The five year ol bay horse has had a total of thirty-two lifetime starts so far in his racing career. The horse has won six of his races, all of them coming over a turf track. His most recent start came last month in a ten furlong allowance caliber start in North Florida where the horse won by two and one-fourth lengths after settling back in frouth and making his move on the front runners in the turn. The colt has impressively finished in the money in every race he has run for his relatively new owner. He is returning to stakes races this weekend, where he previoiusly had struggled with previious owner hracinggem.

Next is S R Mix Oil (AUS) (Magic Albert (AUS) x Sicyos x Snippets (AUS)), who is trained by jakplummer, owner of The Big Oil Conglomerate. The five year old bay horse has been fairly lightly raced with a total of twenty lifetime starts. The horse has won six of these races during this career, all of them coming over a turf track. His most recent start came this past February during the ungraded Tarbash Justice Staskes over nine and a half furlongs in Texas. The horse ultimately finished four and three-fourth lengths back in fourth after being rated back in eighth position until sent forward to challenge in the stretch. The horse set a speed figure of one hundred for the race. The colt has been off and on with his races lately. His last graded start was a ninth place finish in the Man Of War Stakes (G1). However, despite any possible inconsistecies, the colt has finished in the money in his last two starts and is still improving.

Following will be Theological (AUS) (Arazi x Green Desert x Storm Cat), who is out of the graded placed dam Feline Fantasty, and is owned by summit, owner of OC International Racing Stables. This Austrlaian four year old brown colt has had a total of seventeen career starts so far during his racing career. The colt has won eight times, all of which have been over the turf. His most recent start came in the B. Orphan Challenge where the colt won by one and a half lenths in wire to wire fashion in the nine and a half furlong race while setting a speed figure of one hundred nine. Though quite accomplished in ungraded stakes with victories in the B. Orphan (IRE) Challenge, Alex In A Brother Bonanza and the Wooden Nijinsky Challenge, the brown colt has never started in a graded stakes race.

At 18/1 is Joyofwild (Forest Wildcat x Joyeux Danseur x Rahy), who is owned and trained by turfsurf, owner of Oneworld Stables. The four year old Kentucky-bred chestnut colt has been lightly raced with a total of nineteen lifetime starts. The colt has won four of these nineteen career starts. All of his four wins have come over the turf. His most recent start came last month in the nine furlong ungraded Single Cat Special where the horsefinished fifth after battling mid-pack for the fourth place position. The colt came to the wire with a speed figure of ninety-eight, perhaps the speed duel early on in the race taking its toll on the colt. The colt has finished in the money in seven of his last eight races. His single finish that was not in the monety was September of last year during the Saint Ůedge Stakes (G3) where the colt finished eigth.

Drawing the far outside post is Bendigo (Gone West x Spinning World x Red Ransom), who is owned by cuprunners, owner of Tulloch Stables. This five year old chestnut has been lightly raced thorughout his career and has a total of thirteen lucky career starts. The horse has won six of these starts, with all his wins and on the board finishes coming over the turf. His most recent start came in the ungraded Storming Buda Challenge over nine and a half furlongs last month. The horse finished one anad a half lengths back in second in this race after being rated mid-pack early on and sent forward to challenge in the turn. The horse set a speed figure of one hundred six in this effort. This Saturday will be the horses first start against graded stakes competition in his racing career. Of the horses three ungraded stakes starts so far, he was finished on the board in two of the three.