Civetta winning on debut at Ellis Park. (Coady Media)
2YO Filly Stakes Opening Day Feature of Championship Meet
Special 11:15 A.M. Post Time for Thanksgiving Day Program
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Godolphin’s 2-year-old homebred filly Civetta, narrowly beaten in her graded-stakes debut last month, stretches out in search of her first career stakes victory in Thursday’s $115,000 Wait a While, the opening day feature of Gulfstream Park’s 2024-2025 Championship Meet.
The 11th running of the 7 ½-furlong Wait a While for 2-year-old fillies going two turns on the turf course anchors an eight-race Thanksgiving Day program that begins with a special 11:15 a.m. first post. Post time for the Wait a While is 2:40 p.m.
Gulfstream’s 85-day Championship Meet runs through March 30, 2025, and offers 66 stakes, 30 graded, worth $15.025 million in purses highlighted by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) and $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) Jan. 25 and $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 29.
Civetta, a bay daughter of Into Mischief whose name means ‘owl’ in Italian, graduated by a neck in debut Aug. 10 at Ellis Park sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on the turf. She encountered late trouble in her next start while making a run and wound up fourth, beaten two lengths, in the 6 ½-furlong Untapable Sept. 8 at Kentucky Downs.
Last time out, Civetta came with a late run again and forged a short lead in deep stretch but got nailed on the wire in the six-furlong Matron (G3) on the Aqueduct turf and wound up second by a neck. Yet to be favored in any of her races, she is the top choice on the morning line at odds of 9-5 with Irad Ortiz Jr. named to ride from Post 2 in an overflow field of 13.
Three-time defending Championship Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will send out the pair of Bellavinino and Ramsey Pond. Corinne and William Heiligbrodt’s Bellavinino, rated at 9-2 in the program, was another debut winner in a 7 ½-furlong maiden claimer on the Gulfstream turf July 28 while running for a $35,000 tag.
The daughter of three-time Grade 1-winning millionaire Get Stormy made her next two starts at Kentucky Downs, finishing fourth in a restricted allowance going 6 ½ furlongs and second by less than two lengths to subsequent Grade 2 winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) runner-up May Day Ready in the one-mile Juvenile Fillies Sept. 8.
Back at Gulfstream, Bellavinino got off slowly but closed with a flourish and came up a neck short in the one-mile Our Dear Peggy Oct. 26 under Drayden Van Dyke, who returns to ride from Post 7.
“She’s had a couple of solid races back-to-back and the form at Kentucky Downs worked out really well. I thought she was a little unfortunate last time to get beat but hopefully she can go one better this time,” Joseph said.
“Seven and a half furlongs might be a little bit short for her, but maybe the race might spread out a little bit better,” he added. “I think if it spreads out and we get a better pace tempo, it might suit her better.”
Ken Ramsey’s Ramsey Pond was second as the favorite in her July 19 unveiling at Gulfstream and also ran twice at Kentucky Downs, graduating by 4 ¾ lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight Sept. 11. The Divisidero filly also exits the Our Dear Peggy, where she raced near the back of the pack and wound up seventh.
Edgard Zayas will be aboard Ramsey Pond from Post 9.
“She disappointed last time,” Joseph said. “I thought she was coming off a big effort at Kentucky Downs and she just kind of ran even. Hopefully she’ll run back to her Kentucky Downs form. If she does, I think she’ll have a good chance.”
Trying turf for the first time after three runs on Gulfstream’s all-weather Tapeta is Brazil Stables’ Smile Po. The Florida-bred daughter of Karakontie won by three lengths at first asking in a 5 ½-furlong maiden special weight Aug. 30, was a distant second as the favorite in a second-level optional claiming allowance going a mile and 70 yards Oct. 5, and last time was a popular front-running winner by a half-length in a 1 1/16-mile entry level spot Nov. 3.
The Wait a While, named for Arindel’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2006 after winning five graded-stakes that year starting with Gulfstream’s Davona Dale (G2), will be the third straight race around two turns for Smile Po. Miguel Vasquez, up for both of her wins, gets the assignment from Post 8.
“We’ve been wanting to run her on the grass, to be honest. The cutback in distance does not bother me at all. She’ll be forwardly placed, and she’s already gone two turns,” trainer David Fawkes said. “We’ve been dying to try her on it and now we’ll get our shot. I wouldn’t mind if it stayed on the Tapeta. She’s just got to get her pace. Pace makes the race. I think she looks live in there.”
Rounding out the field are It’s Witchcraft and Obliging, respectively third and fourth in the Our Dear Peggy; last out maiden winners Winning Streep, Brutally Honest, Smart Union and Sweet Sash; three-time stakes-placed Sail Theseven Seas; and July 28 Colleen runner-up Lemonpeppasteppa, fifth in the Our Dear Peggy. The lone also-eligible is Hello Hello Hello, who beat Smile Po in the Oct. 5 allowance.
