Sugar Swirl Goes For Gulfstream Sweep

All-star day of racing set for Gulfstream Park (AP Images)

Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby headlines an all-star day of racing at Gulfstream Park. The Hallandale Beach racecourse is presenting four graded stakes including the Gr. 2 Shirley Jones Handicap, the Gr. 2 Bonnie Miss Stakes and the Gr. 3 Palm Beach Handicap.

The $200,000 Shirley Jones Handicap for fillies and mares sprinting seven furlongs was scheduled for last Saturday with a field of seven, but torrential rain forced it to be canceled. The 5-year-old Canadian-bred Sugar Swirl is the solid favorite and is attempting an unprecedented sweep of Gulfstream’s three open stakes for older female sprinters.

Sophomore fillies take the stage in the $150,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes, a Gr. 2 test at nine furlongs and the $150,000 Palm Beach Stakes, also a Gr. 2 event, goes at the same distance showcasing 3-year-olds attempting to find their best stride on the lawn.

Look for Fountain of Youth runner-up Elysium Fields to make a strong impression in the nine-furlong $1 million Florida Derby. The colt has been training forwardly for conditioner Barclay Tagg and his half-length beat by Cool Coal Man in the Fountain of Youth was encouraging. Nick Zito’s Sam Davis Stakes winner Fierce Wind has also been working well and will be going for his fourth in a row on Saturday. There are several exciting newcomers in the derby field including Big Brown, Face The Cat, Hey Byrn, and Peruvian star Tomcito.

For all horse betting odds visit the Bodog Racebook.