Lennilu scoring the Royal Palm. (Lauren King)
Leinster offspring Lennilu, Squire and Monster top field for BC Juvenile Turf Sprint Prep
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The Leinster Hollywood Beach, indeed.
The nine-horse field for Saturday’s $75,000 Leinster Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream Park features three very promising offspring of red-hot freshman sire Leinster – multiple-stakes winner Lennilu, as well as stakes-placed Squire and Monster.
Patrick Biancone-trained Lennilu is scheduled to make a highly anticipated return to turf in the five-furlong sprint for 2-year-olds after prevailing by a nose in the $100,000 Desert Vixen, the six-furlong first leg of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series for fillies on Gulfstream’s main track Sept. 6.
After rallying to win her 4 ½-furlong debut over a sloppy Keeneland main track April 6, Lennilu made a highly successful transition to turf with a 3 ¾-length front-running victory in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies at five-furlongs at Gulfstream May 10, earning a fees-paid berth into one of six stakes during the Royal Ascot Meet. She went on to finish third in the five-furlong Queen Mary (G2) June 18 before capturing the Desert Vixen.
“She’s good. She has the attitude of a good horse,” Biancone said. “She doesn’t want to get beat.”
The Hollywood Beach will be Lennilu’s final prep for the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) at Del Mar Oct. 31, as long as the race remains on turf.
“If it comes off the turf, Lennilu will run the following weekend in Kentucky,” Biancone said.
Lennilu, rated second at 2-1 on the Hollywood Beach morning line, is nominated to the $300,000 Indian Summer, a 5 ½-furlong turf sprint, at Keeneland Sunday, Oct. 5.
Jonathan Ocasio has the return mount on Lennilu, who is owned by Amy Dunne, Cailtin Dunne, Brenda Miley, Jean Wilkinson, Hoffman Family Racing LLC, Tranquility Lake Farms LLC, Maury Hamilton and Christopher Harrington.
Amy Dunne and Biancone are also well represented by Squire in the Hollywood Beach field.
Squire, like Lennilu, has demonstrated versatility in his brief career. The 2-year-old gelding overcame bumping at the start of his 4 ½-furlong debut to win by a head April 18 at Gulfstream. He returned on turf to finish second in the $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile behind Sandal’s Song, who went on to finish third in the Norfolk (G2) at Royal Ascot. Squire finished fifth on dirt last time out following a less-than-ideal trip in the $100,000 Dr. Fager, the six-furlong first leg if the FFS series.
Dalila Rivera has the call on Squire, who is rated third at 9-2.
Arindel’s Monster, who finished fourth and fifth in his first two career starts in Kentucky, demonstrated a distinct preference for turf while scoring a nine-length front-running victory in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Gulfstream May 23.
“He really likes the turf, and he really likes the turf here,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “It’s not soft ground, and he really likes that.”
Monster, who is favored at 9-5 on the Leinster Hollywood Beach morning line, set the pace in the 5 ½-length Skidmore on turf Aug. 16 at Saratoga before settling for a second behind Bobrovsky, a highly regarded Dale Romans-trained son of Daredevil.
Monster’s performance in the Hollywood Beach will dictate his next start.
“I’d like to go to the Breeders’ Cup,” D’Angelo said.
Edgard Zayas, who was aboard Monster for his sensational maiden-breaker, returns to the saddle for the Leinster Hollywood Beach.
Squire, Lennilu and Monster, all Florida-breds, will break from the three outside post positions – 7, 8 and 9, respectively.
“I like his post,” D’Angelo said. “We have to go.”
Leinster, a Rusty Arnold-trained son of Majestic Warrior, closed out his racing career with a victory in the 2021 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3) before entering stud duty at Pleasant Acres in Ocala.
D’Angelo is also represented in the Hollywood Beach field by Fugget About It Racing Stables’ Itza Lock, a gelded son of Silver State who is coming off a front-running 3 ½-length maiden romp at Gulfstream in his second career start in a five-furlong maiden special weight on Tapeta.
“He is really improving. That’s why I’m giving him a chance in the stakes,” D’Angelo said.
Samy Camacho is scheduled to ride Itza Lock for the first time Saturday.
Daugherty Racing LLC’s Win N Juice, a Florida-bred son of Win Win Win figures to make his presence felt in the Hollywood Beach. After finishing sixth in his debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile, he graduated at five furlongs on turf at Gulfstream June 20 and finished second behind Hey Nay Nay in the Aug. 2 Tyro at five furlongs on turf at Monmouth. Undefeated Hey Nay Nay went on to win the Del Mar Juvenile Turf (G3). The Nolan Ramsey trainee failed to menace in the Juvenile Sprint at Kentucky Downs in his most recent start.
Ramsey is also scheduled to saddle Robert Proulx’s Street Player, who is set to make his first start on turf after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream in his second career start and finishing off the board in a pair of stakes.
Miguel Vasquez has the call on Win N Juice, while Yolber Torres has the mount on Street Player.
Candido Vargas and Darinel Arguela’s The Princess Bro, a daughter of Win Win Win trained by Keven McKathan, and Leon Ellman, Glassman Racing LLC and Laurie Plesa’s Timeless Victory, a son of By My Standards trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., are slated to make their respective stakes debuts coming off debut maiden special weight victories.
Trainer Daniel Hurtak’s Zevi’s Zone, a son of Uncle Chuck who graduated first off the claim in a $35,000 maiden claimer at five-furlongs on Tapeta, rounds out the field.
Leinster Hollywood Beach Field
