Last Judgment, War Stopper rematched in Ghostzapper

Last Judgment beat War Stopper by four lengths in the Grade 3 Challenger Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs three weeks ago. Saturday, the two meet again in the Grade 3, $100,000 Ghostzapper Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The Ghostzapper is among 10 stakes on Saturday’s 14-race card, topped by the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

Last Judgment, claimed for $62,500 by Mike Maker in October for an ownership group headed by Mike Dubb, won the Sunshine Classic at Gulfstream on Jan. 16. His connections took a shot and wheeled him back one week later in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup, where he tried to press the speedy Knicks Go and finished 12 3/4 lengths behind that horse, who won the 1 1/8-mile race by 2 3/4 lengths.

In the Challenger, Last Judgment was able to dictate terms on the lead under Daniel Centeno in winning by 2 1/4 lengths over Modernist. War Stopper got away slowly, chased the pace from the inside, but could only manage a third-place finish.

Maker said he believes Last Judgment will be able to dictate terms again in the 1 1/8-mile Ghostzapper breaking from the rail under Jose Ortiz.

“Going a mile and an eighth, I think he’d be tough to run with,” Maker said.

Trainer Todd Pletcher felt the bad start compromised War Stopper’s chances in the Challenger.

“He got away in a tangle,” Pletcher said. “He needs to be involved early. We’ll ride him a little more aggressively, and hopefully he gets away from the gate cleanly and be more forwardly placed.”

Just Whistle and Eye of a Jedi were second and fourth last year in this race when it was known as the Hal’s Hope. They will try to improve upon those finishes on Saturday.

King Slew and Violent City complete the field.

There are three listed stakes on the card, each worth $100,000.

◗ Annex will look to win his third race of the meet when he starts as the probable favorite in the $100,000 Cutler Bay Stakes for 3-year-olds going a mile on turf.

Annex, a son of Constitution trained by Bill Mott, won a mile race at first asking on Jan. 16, then came back and took advantage of hot pace to rally from 22 lengths back and win the $100,000 Palm Beach Stakes by a head. Both races were on turf.

There doesn’t look to be that strong of a pace in the Cutler Bay.

Step Dancer, a New York-bred trained by Barclay Tagg, makes his 3-year-old debut in this spot. He went 2 for 3 last year, including a victory in the Awad Stakes in which he overcame a slow pace and yielding turf. Before the Awad, he stalked the pace in the Grade 2 Pilgrim on turf at Belmont and finished third behind Fire At Will, the subsequent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner. Step Dancer’s connections said that he was too close to the early pace in the Pilgrim.

It Can Be Done was front-running winner of a turf stakes last fall at Monmouth, and was a fast-closing second last month in a turf sprint stakes to Fulmini, who is back in this field.

Pletcher sends out Hyperfocus, a winner of his turf debut on Feb. 12.

◗ Basin, the Grade 1 Hopeful winner of 2019 and unraced since finishing second to Yaupon in the Grade 2 Amsterdam Stakes at Saratoga last Aug. 29, makes his seasonal debut in Saturday’s $100,000 Sir Shackleton Stakes going seven furlongs. Pletcher said he believes Basin is fit enough, having put in three solid fivefurlong breezes since leading up to his return.

Major threats to Basin include Frosted Grace, second to Mischevious Alex in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Park Sprint; Yodel E. A. Who, winner of an allowance at Gulfstream on Feb. 6; and Shivaree.

◗ World Tour was a visually impressive debut winner here on Feb. 18 and now moves into stakes company in the $100,000 Sanibel Island Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on turf. Her competition figures to come from Coworth Park and Joy of Painting.

SV PHOTOGRAPHY Last Judgment goes wire to wire in the Grade 3 Challenger at Tampa on March 6. War Stopper was third, beaten four lengths.