MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (June 20, 2008) - N T S Stable’s Annabill, Lucille Geranis’ Cat Can Do and Roland Powell’s Saffronista are accomplished 5-year-old mares that have faced off frequently in stakes over the last two seasons at Calder Race Course, and the trio clashes again Sunday in the $36,000 Sambacarioca overnight stakes at one mile and 70 yards.
Jockey Javier Santiago rides Annabill for trainer Milton Wolfson and sports the biggest bankroll of the group with $445,000 in earnings, most since being claimed for $25,000 here early in her career. The daughter of Outflanker finished second last out in the Saras Success overnight on May 25. Annabill won three straight stakes here last year, including the Elmer Heubeck Distaff on Florida Million day.
Saffronista finished third in the Emergency Nurse for trainer Jose Pinchin. Jockey Wilmer Galviz gets the call on the daughter of Ecton Park who is most effective with a fast pace setting up in front of her to close into. Her big stretch charge fell a nose short in the Sambacarioca last year won by Cat Can Do.
Trainer Marty Wolfson has been on a remarkable run at this meet sending out winners at a 40 per cent rate, and shouldn’t be overlooked in Sunday’s feature with Andrew Rosen’s 3-year-old filly Joffe’s Run taking a step up to an overnight stakes and facing older fillies and mares with Jermaine Bridgmohan aboard.
A chestnut daughter of Giant’s Causeway, Joffe’s Run was a $500,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase and began her career in England last year with trainer Brian Meehan, winning one of three starts before shipping to Monmouth Park to finish 10th in the Epitome Breeders’ Cup on a ‘soft’ course in late October.
In three starts this year since joining the Wolfson barn, Joffe’s Run has improved steadily, winning a one-mile allowance here last out on May 29 after a dull effort on turf at Gulfstream in April and third in a main track allowance on May 9. Wolfson trained Sambacarioca to win several stakes here during her career.
Completing the field for Sunday’s feature are Dr. George Elso’s Gadolinium, Manny Aguilar; Jerome Cohen and Michael Sherman’s Silkily, Carlos Olivero; Harry Ragoonanan’s Miss Fleetfoot, Wesley Henry; and Beverly Green’s Casa Mimaty, Ariel Smith.
Thursday Triple for Cruz Tightens Calder Jockey Standings
Veteran jockey Manoel Cruz won three of the nine races run on Thursday’s program at Calder Race Course to close the gap to one in the standings after 34 days of the session behind apprentice Paco Lopez (41-40) with Ariel Smith well back in third at 26 and Javier Santiago fourth with 25 victories.
Cruz, 38, won Calder Meet titles in 2003 and 2006 and finished second last year behind Elvis Trujillo, who has shifted his tack to Churchill Downs. Jockey Eddie Castro won the 2004-05 meet championships, but moved on to ride at Monmouth Park during the summers since then, currently leading the standings at the New Jersey track.
Kirk Ziadie continues to hold a comfortable lead in the trainers’ standings as he defends his 2007 Calder Meet title with 16 victories, four more than Marty Wolfson with 12 victories. Veterans Dan Hurtak and Eddie Plesa, Jr. are tied for third with 11 winners apiece.
Wolfson had one of the most memorable afternoons for a trainer in track history last Saturday sending out four winners, three of them in $100,000 stakes events and the other a $36,000 overnight test. Wolfson’s 12 winners have come from just 29 starters with six seconds and five thirds.