Rated by Merit handily won the 2024 edition of the Dr. Fager and swept the Sire Stakes. (Ryan Thompson)
$100,000 Dr. Fager and Desert Vixen Divisions on 11 Race Program
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – More than 40 years ago, three-time Eclipse Award-winning owner and breeder Dan Lasater had an idea.
Lasater sat down with Kenny Noe Jr., president of Calder Race Course, and suggested Calder play host to a three-pronged stakes series for 2-year-olds to promote the growing Florida breeding industry.
Come Saturday, Lasater’s Florida Sire Stakes Series will celebrate its 44th running when Gulfstream Park plays host to the first leg of what is now the $1.2 million series.
The 2-year-old series begins with the $100,000 Dr. Fager and Desert Vixen at six furlongs, continues with the $200,000 Affirmed and Susan’s Girl Oct. 18 at seven furlongs, and concludes Nov. 29, the opening weekend of the Championship Meet, with the $300,000 In Reality and My Dear Girl at 1 1/16 mile.
The series has produced champions Holy Bull, Smile, Big Drama, Awesome Feather and Brave Raj along with other Grade 1 winners Jackson Bend, Three Ring and Mecke.
Saturday’s $100,000 Dr. Fager drew a field of eight including the likely favorite in Squire, co-owned and trained by Patrick Biancone. The gelded son of Leinster broke his maiden at first asking on the dirt going 4 ½ furlongs April 18 before finishing second on the turf May 10 in the Royal Palm Juvenile Stakes, a ‘Win and In’ for Royal Ascot. The gelding worked a ‘bullet’ three furlongs Aug. 30 in :35 3/5 from the gate. Jonathan Ocasio is named to ride.
Trainer Michael Yates, who swept the Sire Stakes last year with St. Elias Stable’s Rated by Merit, will saddle Fourth and Central. The Shadybrook Farm homebred son of Cajun Breeze won his debut at 4 ½ furlongs May 31 before finishing a troubled fifth in the Proud Man here Aug. 9 over a sloppy six-furlong track. Marcos Meneses will ride. Trainer Jose Pinchin will send out Trelawny, fourth in the Proud Man, while trainer Antonio Sano will saddle Camigol, a winner here at 4 ½ furlongs June 25 in his second start before finishing third in the Saratoga Special (G2) Aug. 2. Edwin Gonzalez will ride.
Emisael Jaramillo will ride All to Win, who won his only race at six furlongs here Aug. 2, while Edgard Zayas has been named on first-time starter Jamalamadingdong for trainer Jose D’Angelo.
In the $100,000 Desert Vixen for fillies, Biancone has entered Lennilu, winner of the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies and third in Royal Ascot’s Queen Mary (G2). Biancone could also run Lennilu in the $1 million Untapable at Kentucky Downs Sunday, Sept. 7.
If Lennilu heads to Kentucky, Yates could have the favorite in Finding Strength, a Khozan filly owned by LNJ Foxwoods and Church Street Stables. The filly finished third in her debut here before winning Aug. 17 at 5 ½ furlongs by 4 ¼ lengths. Yates has entered Copper Creole, a daughter of Cajun Breeze who was third in her debut at five furlongs on the turf. Leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. has entered Love Like Lucy, a $300,000 daughter of Win Win Win who won her only start at six furlongs Aug. 8. Zayas will ride.
Saturday’s 11-race program will also include the $70,000 Mambo Meister, a mile turf event for 3-year-olds and up. The 11-horse field includes And Uwish, second in the Warrior’s Pride Aug 3 to Reef Runner, who was disqualified from victory Saturday in Del Mar’s Green Flash (G3), and Goes the Clown, who will be seeking his fourth consecutive victory.
