Florida Derby Runner-Up Shivaree to Join Biancone-Trained 3-Year-Olds
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Graded-stakes winners Sole Volante and Ete Indien are scheduled to prep for upcoming major-stakes engagements Wednesday at Gulfstream Park, where the highly regarded Patrick Biancone-trained duo will be joined by Florida Derby (G1) runner-up Shivaree in a mile optional claiming allowance for 3-year-olds carded as Race 9.
Sole Volante is being pointed to the June 20 Belmont Stakes (G1), while Ete Indien is a candidate for the July 16 Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park. Shivaree is a prospect for the Haskell or the July 11 Blue Grass (G2) at Keeneland.
The trio of prominent 3-year-olds tops a seven-horse field that also includes stakes winners With Verve and Soros, as well as recent winners Jesus’ Team and Hard Lighting.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Andie Biancone and Limelight Stables Corp.’s Sol Volante closed from 11th to finish second behind King Guillermo last time out in the March 7 Tampa Bay Derby (G2). The gelded son of Karakontie, who had beaten King Guillermo in the Nov. 30 Pulpit Stakes over Gulfstream’s turf course, finished third in his dirt debut in the Jan. 3 Mucho Macho Man before tuning up for the Tampa Bay Derby with a victory in the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa.
Ete Indien, who is owned by Linda Shanahan, Sanford Bacon, Dream With Me Stable Inc., D P Racing LLC, Horse France America and Biancone, most recently finished third behind Tiz the Law after setting the pace in the Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream March 28. The son of Summer Front, who also began his career on turf, finished second behind Tiz the Law in the Holy Bull (G3) Feb. 1 in his second dirt start before scoring a dazzling 8 ½-length triumph in the Feb. 29 Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream.
“These two horses haven’t run for a long time. I want to see where we are as far as fitness. The rain last week changed my plans for training,” Biancone said. “Hey, nothing is better than a good prep race. Before we travel a long way, we want to see where we are. I think it will be good for them. Gulfstream Park has been kind enough to provide us with a race that we can run in.”
Sole Volante and Ete Indien breezed three times in May before Biancone called off workouts scheduled for Friday in favor of running them in Wednesday’s race.
Luca Panici has the mount on Sole Volante, whom he rode to victory in the Sam F. Davis, while Florent Geroux has the return call on Ete Indien.
Jacks or Better Farm’s Shivaree finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Ete Indien while running second behind Tiz the Law in the Florida Derby at 80-1. The Ralph Nicks-trained son of Awesome of Course had previously finished second behind With Verve in the Feb. 29 Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park.
“All’s well. He got a little bit of a freshening, and he should be ready to go,” said Nicks, whose trainee had a series of four workouts at Gulfstream in May.
Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount aboard Shivaree.
