Lead: Trainer Todd Pletcher sent out Repole Stable’s Highestmaintenance as the 3-to-10 favorite in a field of six 3-year-old fillies in Friday’s fourth race allowance feature and led through most of the mile until the final 50 yards when Sienna Farm LLC’s Private Ensign breezed by to score by 1 ½ lengths under jockey Corey Lanerie.

While Highestmaintenance had won her only previous start going six furlongs by 6 ¾ lengths here on Dec. 20, Private Ensign had broken her maiden by 3 ½ lengths going 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 26 after a runner-up debut at Keeneland in November for trainer Dale Romans. Private Ensign was turning back in distance to Friday’s one-turn mile.

“She’s a very nice filly,” said Romans of the Kentucky homebred daughter of A.P. Indy. “We didn’t know when they might get the next two-turn race to go (‘a other than’) and the timing of this race was right, so we decided to go ahead and run. She’ll probably have to go to a stakes from here. We’ll look around, but the Davona Dale would seem the logical spot. You don’t have to worry about shipping.”

The $250,000 Davona Dale Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles will be run on Sat., Feb. 23.

Romans, Lanerie and Sienna Farm owners Anthony Manganaro, Ignacio Patino and David Pope can look forward to teaming up again Saturday as they send out the 3-year-old colt Dewey Square in the $400,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) for his season debut. He'll be facing undefeated 2012 Eclipse Award champion 2-year-old Shanghai Bobby. Romans collected his own Eclipse Award here last Saturday night as North America’s champion trainer.

Private Ensign paid $7.60 for $2 as the second choice and was timed the mile in 1:36:82. Eric Wirth’s Crumb finished third, 1 ½ lengths behind Highestmaintenance.


Who’s Hot: Jockey Carlos Olivero and apprentice Jilver Chamafi don’t get that many opportunities at this time of year at Gulfstream, but Friday was their day as they each made two trips to the winners’ circle.

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $637,328,25