Grand Ave Girl one to catch

Nobody should have been surprised when Grand Ave Girl beat a tough field in her first try on turf for trainer David Fawkes in a second-level allowance race with added conditions on March 20 at Gulfstream Park. After all, she is out of One More, who won three route races on grass and finished third in the Grade 3 Providencia going 1 1/8 miles on the Santa Anita turf.

The runner-up on March 20, Market Rumor, came back to win a third-level allowance race April 23 at Keeneland, where she received an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. Grand Ave Girl was given the same figure for her fourth-place finish in the $100,000 Sand Springs in her next start April 2 at Gulfstream.

Grand Ave Girl is clearly the one to beat in the $75,000 Monroe Stakes on Sunday at Gulfstream. The 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares drew eight horses and headlines a 10-race card that begins at 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

With Emisael Jaramillo riding, Grand Ave Girl sat just off the speed in her March 20 win and then set the pace in the Sand Springs. The field in the Sand Springs was substantially tougher than Grand Ave Girl is facing in the Monroe.

The Sand Springs winner, Crystal Cliffs, has Grade 3 credentials, as does Tropical Princess, who finished third. The runner-up, Stolen Holiday, was coming off romp in a second-level allowance race with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure on Feb. 23 at Tampa Bay Downs.

There is not much doubt Grand Ave Girl will be involved during the early stages of the Monroe. In her two wins on Tapeta, she took them all the way in a maiden special weight race Nov. 7 and chased the speed when she won a first-level allowance race with a $25,000 claiming option Jan. 2.

Grand Ave Girl, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Runhappy, will break from post 5 with Jaramillo retaining the mount.

Lucky Peridot should be rolling late and could pick up the pieces if a duel develops. The 6-year-old daughter of Itsmyluckyday will try to complete the hat trick after winning a $35,000 conditioned claimer going 1 1/16 miles on turf for trainer Mike Maker on Feb. 27 and being claimed by trainer Jose D’Angelo on behalf of Robert Bone and Gumpster Stable. She repeated April 16 in a second-level allowance race with added conditions that was scheduled for turf but rained off to the Tapeta.

Lucky Peridot will be making her first start for trainer Franciso D’Angelo, with Romero Maragh retaining the mount.

Ballymore Star, trained by Kent Sweezey, has a right to move forward after finishing third going a mile on grass in a first-level allowance race with a $25,000 claiming option in her first start this year on April 23. The 5-year-old Irish-bred daughter of Sea The Stars has not won on turf, with her only win coming in a maiden special weight race on Tapeta at Woodbine for trainer Roger Attfield on July 3. In her last race in 2021, she finished second as the heavy favorite in a first-level allowance on Tapeta on Aug. 13 at Woodbine.

Supporting the Monroe is the $60,000 Golden Beach Handicap for fillies and mares, which drew eight horses and goes as the seventh race. The Edward Plesa-trained Miss Auramet figures to be favored in the fivefurlong dash on turf.