Ladies on the lawn

This past Saturday saw two stakes races run on the lawn at Gulfstream Park and featured some better than average turf distaffers in Royal Highness(GER), winner of the $100,000 The Very One Handicap (gr. IIIT), completing the 1 3/8-mile distance in 2:12 3/5, and Audacious Chloe, who handed champion 2-year-old filly of 2006 Dreaming of Anna her first defeat on grass in the $76,500 Gaily Gaily Stakes. The final time for the 1 1/16-mile turf contest was 1:41 3/5.

Royal Highness is a daughter of MONSUN out of Reem Dubai by NASHWAN. Outcrossed thru five generations, she still boasts some powerful linebreeding, having HYPERION 6s x 6S x 8D x 8d x 7d x 9d x 8D x 6D, and NEARCO 6s x 9s x 6D x 8d x 8D x 7D.

Royal Highness, owned by Monceaux Stable, previously competed in France, where she was a group II winner and group I-placed on three occasions. Since her arrival in the USA she has been trained by Christophe Clement, who sent her out in last fall in the Turf Classic Invitational (gr. IT) at Belmont Park, finishing third behind English Channel. She subsequently appeared in the Long Island Handicap (gr. IIT), where she finished second by a half-length behind Safari Queen. Her race record now stands at three wins, five seconds and two shows in 12 starts with earnings of $491,581. She is obviously capable of running with some very good company.

Royal Highness(GER)
winner of Gulfstream Park's
The Very One H.

Audacious Chloe, by MORE THAN READY and out of Audacious by MANILA, is trained by Todd Pletcher and runs in the colors of Team Valor Stables and Never Tell Farm. Highclere Inc. bred the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton filly in Kentucky. Audacious Chloe has MR. PROSPECTOR and NORTHERN DANCER 4x4 in her pedigree, plus boasting three crosses each of BOLD RULER, NASRULLAH, and ALMAHMOUD.

Audacious Chloe had three starts on dirt, and was a maiden winner before Pletcher switched her to the turf, where she won the Junior Champion stakes at Monmouth Park, setting a New Course Record of 1:34 1/5. In her only start since then, Audacious Chloe nearly notched another win in the 1 1/16-mile Jessamine before losing out by a neck on the Keeneland grass. Her record now stands at three wins and two seconds in six starts with earnings of $148,139.

Audacious Chloe,
shown here winning the
Little Silver S at Monmouth

It's always nice to see such opportunistic performances, especially when they involve the ladies and the lawn.

Opportunities for fillies and mares who prefer to run on the green abound in Florida racing in coming weeks. Here's what's scheduled:

March 4 Gulfstream Park, Honey Fox H. (G3), $100,000, 4&up f&m, 8.5f T
Mar. 17 Tampa Bay Downs, Hillsborough S. (G3), $150,000, 4&up f&m, 9f T
March 25 Gulfstream Park, Herecomesthebride S. (G3), $100,000, 3yo f, 9f T
March 31 Gulfstream Park, Orchid H. (G3), $150,000, 4&up f&m, 12f T
April 1 Gulfstream Park, Magna Distaff, $75,000, 4&up f&m, 8.5f T


I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to all of these.




Honey Ryder, twice winner of the Orchid H.