Kelsey’s Cross will be closing

A couple of $75,000 turf stakes share the spotlight Monday at Gulfstream Park. Fillies and mares run first in the Monroe, which goes as the fourth race. The Mr. Steele drew 11 horses for turf – with Kukulkan and Eye of a Jedi entered as main track-only – and goes as the eighth race on a 10-race card that begins at noon Eastern. Both races are at 1 1/16 miles.

Barring scratches, eight horses will start in the Monroe if it stays on turf. Heiressindy and Sky Chaser are entered as main track-only.

Five of the eight horses in the Monroe ran in the $60,000 Dayatthespa on Aug. 9. Sensible Myth edged Kelsey’s Cross by a neck in the 1 1/16-mile turf race. However, the Patrick Bianconetrained Kelsey’s Cross, who was favored, is the one to beat in the Monroe.

A 4-year-old daughter by Anthony’s Cross, Kelsey’s Cross is a three-time winner. In all of her victories, she has rallied late, including from well back in her latest win in the $100,000 Ginger Punch on June 6.

She drew the outside post in the eight-horse Dayatthespa. In order not to get hung out on the first turn like she did in her seventh-place finish as the favorite in the $60,000 In a Breeze on July 5, Luca Panici called on her early. She ended up prompting an honest pace set by Lagartha, who faded to last. Receiving outside pressure from Lovely Luvy, Panici was forced to move Kelsey’s Cross earlier than he probably wanted. She took a short lead at the quarter pole and was game in defeat. Sensible Myth had a perfect trip with Edgar Prado riding for trainer Leo Gabriel.

Kelsey’s Cross drew the outside post again for the Monroe, with Rajiv Maragh picking up the mount.

Great Sister Diane, third in the Dayatthespa, will try to win the Monroe for the second straight year for trainer Rohan Crichton.

Sailing Solo, who has taken a shine to the Gulfstream Park turf course, could be hard to run down in the Mr. Steele, where he will break from post 2 with Prado riding. Trained by Louie Roussel, he is perfect in two starts at Gulfstream, and the 5-year-old horse by Smart Strike is coming off a front-running victory in the $60,000 Mecke Stakes on July 25. The 98 Beyer Speed Figure he was given is the best figure in the field, and he received a 95 Beyer for his 2 1/2-length score in an open allowance race that carried a $100,000 claiming option on June 26.

Both races were at one mile, but he is a two-time winner going 1 1/16 miles, so he should be fine with the added distance.

There is other speed in the field. Most notable is the Terri Pompay-trained Thunder Ride, who is coming off a frontrunning victory going a mile on turf in a second-level allowance with a $62,500 claiming option on Aug. 23.

If a duel does develop, it would benefit Louder Than Bombs, who will be rolling late. Trained by David Fawkes, Louder Than Bombs came from well back to finish fourth in the Grade 3 Appleton on March 28 and third in his narrow loss in the Grade 3 Canadian Turf on Feb. 29.