Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
GULFSTREAM Mask test stakes company
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Chad Brown said that even he was impressed with the way his promising 3-yearold Mask won his career debut, drawing away by 3 1/2 lengths over the highly regarded Navistar last fall at Belmont Park. Brown was so impressed, in fact, that he plans to have Mask step up to stakes company for his second start, in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man Stakes here Saturday.
The one-mile Mucho Macho Man drew a field of eight, including two other undefeated and well-regarded youngsters, Dak Attack and Santiamen, as well as two-time stakes winner Bal Harbour. The race is one of five stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday’s card.
Mask, a son of Tapit owned by Lane’s End Racing, earned an 88 Beyer Speed Figure after overcoming a bit of an eventful start and working his way through traffic to win his Oct. 20 debut under Javier Castellano.
“I wasn’t surprised he won the first time,” Brown said. “He’d earmarked himself all summer as a talented horse. But I was impressed with the way he won, considering he got left at the gate and had to overcome a lot, splitting horses and such, along the way.”
Brown said some “little minor issues” came up after Mask’s debut that prevented a second start in 2017.
“He had a couple of baby things that he needed a little time to get over, but he never left my care, and he’s done really well since getting to south Florida and starting to train at Palm Meadows,” said Brown. “And I feel the horse has really moved forward since his first start.”
Brown said he’d have preferred not to have Mask make his second start in a stakes race.
“I’d prefer to bring him back in a first-level allowance, and there is one in the book going seven furlongs next week,” said Brown. “But I like the one-turn mile for him rather than another sprint, and the timing is right to run him in the Mucho Macho Man. There are some conditions under which I might scratch on Saturday – if I weren’t happy with his postposition draw or we got some inclement weather. I could still wait for the allowance race the following weekend if necessary. But as of [Wednesday], I intend to run him in the stakes.”
Javier Castellano will be aboard Mask. The rest of the field, with riders, is Colt and mississippi( Lui sS aez ), Forever Taken (Jesus Rios), Dak Attack (Robby Albarado), Bal Harbour (John Velazquez), Santiamen (Irad Ortiz Jr.), Handsome Franco (Juan Di az),andW here she told me togo( Tyler Gaffalione).
Stellar Wind targeting Pegasus
Brown said that Stellar Wind remains on track to run in the $16 million Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.
Stellar Wind was purchased by Coolmore at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale with the intention of being retired and bred to American Pharoah this season. But Coolmore had a change of heart shortly thereafter, sending the champion 3-year-old filly of 2015 to Brown at Palm Meadows to prepare for the Pegasus.
“She continues to train well, and as of now, we’re moving forward towards the targeted race, which is the Pegasus,” Brown said on Wednesday. “She’s scheduled to do a little more, have a little more serious workout this weekend, and we’ll really know where we stand with her after that.”
Brown also said that Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Good Magic arrived at Palm Meadows about a week ago and is back galloping, but he has no plans mapped out for him.
Driven by Thunder back on turf
Driven by Thunder, reclaimed by the Repole Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher for $25,000 out of his New York finale at Aqueduct on Nov. 30, could return quick dividends when put back on grass against Florida-breds in Friday’s $44,000 feature here. The 7 1/2-furlong optional claimer concludes the 10-race card.
Driven by Thunder, a 4-yearold son of Overdriven, has made his last four starts on dirt but showed promise on turf when finishing third and fourth against $50,000 starter allowance competition in New York last summer. Driven by Thunder will also reunite with John Velazquez, who rode him to his maiden win against statebreds over the main track here last April.
The headliner drew a competitive field of nine, including Thoristic, a winner of his last two starts, which came against open conditioned-claiming competition on turf. Also in the field are Mai Ty One On and Without Remorse, second and third behind runaway winner Tipsy Kitten under similar conditions here Dec. 15.