Ghostly Rose. (Lauren King)
Juvenile Turf Stakes Kicks Off 1/ST Coast-to-Coast Pick 5
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – When Rated by Merit debuted with a dazzling victory at Gulfstream Park July 13, earning the highest Beyer Speed Figure of all 2-year-olds in the country at the time, his relatively obscure sire Battalion Runner attracted sudden national attention. Three weeks earlier, Battalion Runner, who had already been exported to Uruguay, received far less attention when his juvenile son, Ghostly Rose, stormed from off the pace to win his debut by 2 ¾ lengths over Gulfstream’s Tapeta course.
Following a pair of out-of-town stakes engagements, 47 Roses LLC’s Ghostly Rose figures to have a lot more eyes on him Saturday when he returns to Gulfstream. The Javier Gonzalez trainee has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite for Saturday’s $95,000 Hollywood Beach.
The Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong turf dash for 2-year-olds, will kick off the 1/ST Coast-to-Coast Pick 5, featuring an all-turf sequence that will also feature the $750,000 California Crown John Henry Turf (G2), $750,000 California Crown Eddie D Stakes (G2) and the $200,000 City of Hope (G2) on Santa Anita Park’s inaugural California Crown day.
Bred by St. Elias Stable, the breeder and owner of Rated by Merit, who still owns two of the five highest juvenile Beyer Speed Figures, Ghostly Rose stamped himself as a genuine bargain baby with his debut score, in which the $3500 purchase at the 2023 OBS Winter sale rated off the pace before making a three-wide sweep to the lead and drawing away.
“In the morning, in his morning breezes, workouts, I saw something better than clock said, but I never thought he’d have that race,” Gonzalez said. “He surprised me.”
Ghostly Rose shipped to Monmouth Park to finish fifth in the Tyro, a five-furlong turf stakes in which he never recovered after being checked in traffic early. He fared better on turf at Colonial Downs in his third and most recent start in the 5 ½-furlong Rosie’s on turf. Although he was bumped at the start and trailed the field early, he made a seven-wide sweep to finish third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by a victorious Governor Sam, who had also won the Tyro.
“We went to New Jersey, and he had a bad trip. In the other one he got a bump at the start too but at the end of the race, he really flew,” Gonzalez said. “We said, “OK, we’re going to try at home, and that’s why we’re here.”
Miguel Vasquez, currently atop the Sunshine Meet standings, is scheduled to ride Ghostly Rose for the first time Saturday.
David Romanik and trainer Ron Spatz’s Most Handsome is scheduled to make his turf debut in the Hollywood Beach after debuting at 5 ½ furlongs on Tapeta with an off-the-pace score Aug. 31. Drayden Van Dyke returns aboard the gelded son of Neolithic, who is rated second at 3-1 on the morning-line.
Shooting Star Thoroughbreds LLC’s Lazio, rated third at 4-1 on the morning line, will seek to make amends for a very disappointing eighth-place finish in the Rosie’s at Colonial Downs. The Mary Lightner-trained son of Bucchero has previously finished second in his debut at Colonial, where he came right back to graduate at 5 ½ furlongs on turf while defeating two next-out winners. Edgard Zayas is scheduled to ride Lazio for the first time in the Hollywood Beach.
Shadybrook Farm Inc.’s Mila’s Wish is scheduled to make his turf debut following a pair of starts on dirt – a front-running debut victory prior to a late-fading seventh in the Proud Man. The Michael Yates-trained son of Cajun Breeze, who will race with blinkers-off, will be ridden by Marcos Meneses for the first time.
Four Tags Stable’s Nostalgia’s Smile, Echo Papa Racing Corp.’s Moon Factor, APW Racing LLC’s Noble N Magical, and Eduardo Soto’s Discreet Dancer round out the field.
