The Ft. Lauderdale Stakes is on tap January 14 at Gulfstream Park and the Grade 2 event has lured some quality turf runners. The $200,000 mile and a sixteenth fixture brings together twelve speedballs and closers seeking the 62% portion of the purse to the winner.
Trainer Brian Lynch is hoping for that déjà vu feeling as his student Heart to Heart is out to defend his Ft. Lauderdale Stakes title. This runner was also victorious in the Knickerbocker Stakes. Heart to Heart’s style is no secret. He is a need the lead type and that is the way he won this race last year. Connections thought enough of Heart to Heart to ship him 3,000 miles to Santa Anita in June to race in the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile. Heart to Heart did not make the lead in that race and had to settle for fourth. The race was ultra-live as the place and show horses won next out and the winner of the Shoemaker, Midnight Storm, has won four of his five starts since, including three Grade 2s.
Chad Brown saddles two in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes. His Night Prowler is a multiple Grade 3 winner that has not raced since November 19. He has shown he can win off the layoff though. Brown’s other Ft. Lauderdale Stakes entrant Almanaar is a multiple Group 3 winner in France but he was just beaten by Night Prowler.
Diamond Bachelor ran super last time at 38-1 and it was on the wrong surface. All of his wins have come on grass but he has never beaten this caliber rival.
Copingaway appears to be overmatched. He has won on the Gulfstream Park turf course but it was against a much softer field at 12-1.
Rose Brier is a senior citizen that still wants to beat you. Trained by Jane Cibelli, he has been in the exacta in 25 of 36 starts and he is in revenge mode after finishing first in his last race. He was taken down by the stewards and placed second. He will be re-united with Jose Lezcano, who won with this horse last March.
Lukes Alley is a serious horse. He has been in the exacta in 12 of 15 in his career and was hung wide from the marooned slot last time. The son of Flower Alley is looking at a stalk and kick trip in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes.
Divisidero needs pace to run at but there is plenty of zip in this field. The class is there for this racer as he won the Grade 1 Turf Classic last May. He was also flattered when the horse that beat him last time, Flintshire, returned to win the Grade 1 Sword Dancer and was second as the beaten chalk in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
Flatlined looked dead on arrival when sixth of seven in his last race but he came running and was only beaten a neck. He has trained fast for this but probably needs a softer crew to show his top talent.
Jay Gatsby is far from great. He has won four times but has twice as many minor awards. Both of his wins last year came in optional claiming land.
Macagone has some semblance of speed but it’s hard to see him clearing today. The New York-bred may need his own kind to thrive.
Claude McGaughey trains Fire Away and the runner likes to cut it close even when he brings his A game. He has won four times, twice by a nose, and never by more than a length.
The way this race takes shape, there seems to be plenty of speed to help a closer save the day. The defending champ Heart to Heart will gun. Diamond Bachelor won’t be far away. Copingaway and Rose Brier also have positional speed. That could very well set it up for a runner with a nice late punch.
Lukes Alley has that kind of a kick. Jay Gatsby can pass horses but Divisidero seems to be coming to a huge race. He seldom runs poorly. He can adapt to any kind of situation and he has shown sharpness in his works with this race in mind. He drilled in just over a minute in late December and then bettered that move on New Year’s Day with a :59 flat workout.
Expect a hot pace and for Divisidero to nail the speed.
