Appleton winner back for $100K Miami Mile

Carla Nastase Jr.

Albert Ramos-Vinolas Maria Sharapova

Anett

Kristina Mladenovic, Suarez Navarro Serena Williams’

Ryan Blaney Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano. Yekaterina Kontaveit Ricky Ilie Stenhouse Sharmina

HALLANDALE — Gulfstream’s prime winter season is gone but not all the stakes horses are. Somehave been left behind for Saturday’s $100,000 Miami Mile, the first graded race of the spring/summer session, and its filly counterpart, the ungraded Powder Break.

All Included hadn’t cooled out from his score in the Grade 3 Appleton on Florida Derby Day when Todd Pletcher said the G3 Miami Milewould be a perfect fit for the Gulfstreamloving horse’s next start.

The 6-year-old turf specialist is in the midst of a career renaissance since returning in January from a nine-month layoff. He was third in his comeback race, then second in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Turf Handicap before rallying from last to first in the stretch of the Appleton for his first win since July 2015. Javier Castellano, named to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame this past week, is back in South Florida to ride him against five rivals.

Because of the short field, the one-mile grass event will be the fifth race, outside the RainbowSix.

All Included’s challengers include the winner of the 2015Appleton, War Correspondent. The 7-year-old, trained by Christophe Clement, is winless in five starts since in 2016 and 2017 but was only a neck behind All Included in the GulfstreamTurfHandicap. Gulfstream’s leading rider, Tyler Gaffalione, is back aboard.

Our Way, winner of the Sunshine Millions Turf in January then third in the Appleton, will try All Included again. Trainer James Bond feels his horse didn’t get the best of trips last time and can turn the tables. “A mile is right up this alley. If we have some luck, he’ll be right there.”

One of racing’s distinguished senior citizens, Lubash, will make his 10-year-old debut. The multiple stakes winner hasn’t been seen since being elevated fromsecond to first on a disqualification in the Tropical Turf Handicap in November. The Miami Mile could be a tune-up for this season’s New York bred stakes up north.

Diamond Bachelor, a winner of a couple of Gulfstream stakes last summer, is dangerous as the lone speed horse. Applicator, a winner twice in 24 starts, would have to improve sharply to contend.

Trainer Marty Wolfson has three enteredamongthe dozen in the Powder Break, scheduled as race 10. Lori’s Store won the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf in January but is zero-forfour since, Inside Out is coming off a win in an optional claimer and Kings Ghost ships in from the Fair Grounds off a win against lesser.

Pletcher and Castellano will team again with Liberty Kitten, first or second in four of five career starts.

However, the lukewarm morning line favorite is Stormy Victoria, stakesplaced in three of her last four starts.