Thursday, February 19, 2009

Miss Isella & One Caroline Clash in Sabin Friday

Domino Stud’s 4-year-old Miss Isella, who established her class winning the Falls City Handicap (G2) in late November at Churchill Downs, will test the class of G. Watts Humphrey Jr.’s undefeated 4-year-old filly One Caroline in Friday’s $100,000 Sabin Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Jockey Calvin Borel will be in town to ride Miss Isella in the one-mile Sabin for trainer Ian Wilkes in her first start since they teamed up to win the Falls City going nine furlongs on Nov. 27. The Kentucky homebred roan/gray daughter of Silver Charm got good last fall and had just missed catching top sprinter Game Face going seven furlongs in her previous start.


Jockey Edgar Prado will be aboard One Caroline in the field of nine fillies and mares as the roan/gray daughter of Unbridled’s Song makes her stakes debut in the Sabin after winning all three of her career starts for trainer Rusty Arnold. After a winning debut at Churchill last May, she won an allowance there in June by 6¾ lengths but didn’t run again until romping home by the same margin going one mile here on Jan. 15.

There will be solid support in the race for Savorthetime Stable’s 4-year-old filly Alina shipping in from Fair Grounds with leading Gulfstream rider Kent Desormeaux picking up the mount for trainer Steve Asmussen. She will be making her first start since finishing third in the Iowa Oaks (G3) at Prairie Meadows in late June.

A daughter of Came Home, Alina ran a big race in early April last year, finishing second in the Fantasy Stakes (G2) at Oaklawn Park, beaten only three-quarters of a length by emerging star Eight Belles. In two more appearances before the Iowa Oaks, Alina finished fourth in both the La Troienne Stakes (G3) and Dogwood Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs.

Completing the field for the Sabin are Mark Stanley’s Swift Temper, Alan Garcia; Frank Calabrese’s Dreaming of Liz, E.T. Baird; Kinsman Stable’s Fancy Fusaichi, Julien Leparoux; Miklin Stable’s Stormin Mon, Jermaine Bridgmohan; Mr. and Mrs. Leverett Miller’s So Glitzy, Jose Lezcano; and Lucille Geranis’ Cat Can Do, Eibar Coa.

Comments (0)