Defending Champ Lea Leads 2015 Donn Noms

Adele B. Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm’s Lea is scheduled to seek back-to-back victories in the $1 million Donn Handicap (G1) at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 7. The defending champion’s name is prominent among the 20 horses nominated for the 60th running of the 1 1/8-mile handicap that will highlight a program that will offer five stakes, four graded.

The $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1), which is expected to feature returning champion Lochte, will be co-featured on the Feb. 7 card that will also include the $150,000 Suwannee River (G3), the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper (G3) and the $75,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

Bill Mott-trained Lea will seek his fourth-straight victory over the Gulfstream Park main track going back to Jan. 11, 2014. The 6-year-old veteran, who had campaigned primarily on turf, captured the Hal’s Hope (G3) on the main track that day in his first start for Mott. He returned to win the Donn Handicap by 1 ½ lengths over favored Will Take Charge four weeks later. After setting a track record for 1 1/8 miles with a 1:46.86 clocking, Lea went on the shelf with a fever, from which he was slow to recover. The son of First Samurai came off an 11-month layoff to successfully defend his title in the Hal’s Hope at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 10.

Mrs. Susan Roy’s Sloane Avenue has been nominated and is scheduled to be shipped from England to make his first start on dirt in the Donn. International star Frankie Dettori has the mount aboard the Jeremy Noseda-trained 4-year-old, who is undefeated in three starts on synthetic tracks in England.

Trainer Todd Pletcher nominated seven horses for the Donn: Teresa Viola Racing Stables’ Liam’s Map, a lightly raced son of Unbridled’s Song who won his third straight race in the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream on Jan. 10; WinStar Farm’s Commissioner, who finished a game third in a Gulfstream allowance on Jan. 10 in his first start since finishing second in last year’ Belmont Stakes (G1); Sumaya U.S. Stabless’ Protonico, who is readying for his 2015 debut after capturing the Discovery Handicap (G3) and finishing second in the Clark Handicap (G1) last fall; Twin Creek Racing Stables and WinStar Farm’s Constitution, the winner of last year’s $1 million Besilu Stables Florida Derby (G1) who hasn’t raced since finishing third behind Protonico in the Clark; E. Paul Robsham’s Golden Lad, who finished fifth in the Hal’s Hope in his 2015 debut;  Repole Stable’s Micromanage, the winner of the Jazil Stakes at Aqueduct on Jan. 19 and Matthew Schera’s Race Day, a recent allowance winner at Gulfstream.

Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman’s Hopportunity, who captured the Clark Handicap before scoring in the San Pasqual (G2) at Santa Anita on Jan. 10, was nominated to the Donn by trainer Bob Baffert. Beverly Engelberg, Shroeder Farms and Jan Sleeper’s Blue Tone, who finished third behind Hopportunity in the San Pasqual, was also put on the list of Donn nominees by trainer Bob Hess Jr.

Carolyn Vogel’s Pick of the Litter, who captured the Fayette (G2) at Keeneland before finishing fourth in the Clark, was nominated to the Donn by trainer Dale Romans, who has saddled the son of Kitten’s Joy for two past victories over Gulfstream’s main track. Romans also nominated Zayat Stables’ Prayer for Relief, who finished just a half-length behind Lea while finishing third in the Hal’s Hope.

Jack Hendricks and Roger Justice’s East Hall, the Bill Kaplan-trained winner of the Indiana Derby (G2), is nominated Donn, as is Shadwell Stable’s Elnaawi, whom Kiaran McLaughlin saddled for a victory in the Native Dancer at Laurel last time out.

Mossarosa’s Catholic Cowboy, who captured the $200,000 Claiming Crown Jewel and finished third in the Sunshine Millions Classic, and Mary Ann Charlston’s Ulanbator, an allowance winner over Commissioner last time out, were also nominated for the Donn by trainers Nick Zito and Ian Wilkes, respectively.

All American Horses’ Casiguapo, Matthew Schera’s Ghareeb and Fedai Kahraman’s Looking Cool round out the list of nominees.

Crossed Sabres Farm’s Lochte tops a list of 13 nominees for the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. The Marcus Vitali-trained 5-year-old gelding sprung a 39-1 upset while winning last year’s edition of the 1 1/8-mile turf handicap by 2 ¾ lengths. The son of Medaglia d’Oro is coming off a victory in the Tampa Bay Stakes (G3) last weekend.

Al Shaqab Racing’s Mshawish, who has scored two stakes victories during Gulfstream’s Championship Meet, is one of three horses nominated by Pletcher, who is unlikely to start Unitarian, who is slated to race in Saturday’s two-mile Allen Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream, and Divine Oath, the winner of the McKnight (G3) at Gulfstream on Dec. 27. Mshawish, a Group 2 winner in Dubai early last year, captured the El Prado by two lengths before prevailing in the Fort Lauderdale (G2) on Jan. 10. Grupo 7C Racing Stable’s Grand Tito, who finished a neck behind Mshawish in the Fort Lauderdale, was nominated by trainer Gustavo Delgado to return in the Gulfstream Park Turf.

Phipps Stable’s Imagining, who earned Grade 1 credentials by winning the Man O’ War last year, is expected to make his seventh straight start in Grade 1 company for trainer Shug McGaughey in the Gulfstream Turf.

Gainesway Farm’s Ring Weekend, who captured the Saranac (G3) and the Hill Prince (G3), was also nominated by trainer Graham Motion for Gulfstream’s signature turf event.

Waterford Stable’s Summer Front, whom Christophe Clement saddled for a victory in the last year’s Fort Lauderdale (G2), finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) in his 2014 finale.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Amen Kitten, a Grade 1 stakes-placed 5-year-old gelding, was recently saddled by Wesley Ward for an allowance victory off an eight-month layoff in preparation for the Gulfstream turf.

Shadwell Stables’ Elnaawi, Stud Vicenza’s Fixador, Matthew Schera’s Ghareeb, Lilli Kurtinecz’s Manchurian High round out the  list of Gulfstream Turf nominees.

The 72nd running of the Suwannee River attracted 35 nominees. Most notable on the list for the 1 1/8-mile turf race for fillies and mares are Hillsbrook Farms’ Hard Not to Like, an allowance winner at Gulfstream last February before winning the Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland in April; China Horse Club’s Parranda, a multiple stakes-winning mare who captured the Marshua’s River (G3) at Gulfstream on Jan. 10; Al Shaqab Racing’s Sandiva, the winner of the Tropical Park Oaks who is expected to be ridden by Dettori.

The 30th running of the Fred W. Hooper, a mile race for 4-year-olds and up on the main track, attracted 26 nominations, including the Pletcher-trained Constitution, Commissioner, Golden Lad, Liam’s Map, Protonico and Race Day. The latter, a 4-year-old son of Tapit is expected to make his stakes debut in the Hooper.

Notable Hooper nominees include Bourbon Lane Stable and Wayne Lynn’s Bourban Courage, a veteran campaigner who finished third in the Cigar Mile (G1) last time out; Eric Dattner and Harry Astarita’s Confrontation, who finished second in Hal’s Hope for trainer Barkley Tagg; A Stevens Miles Jr.’s Neck n Neck, a multiple graded-stakes winner trained by Ian Wilkes; and Crossed Sabres Farm’s Valid, whom Marcus Vitali saddled for a victory in the Monmouth Cup (G2) last summer.

Brian Lynch owned and trained-Power Alert, an Australian-import who was an impressive allowance winner in his U.S. debut, is set to make his North American stakes debut in the 10th running of the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, which drew 19 nominations.

Mr. and Mrs. Bert Firestone’s Varsity, a multiple-stakes winner trained by Christophe Clement, is scheduled to seek a return to the winning form he showed while capturing the 5-furlong turf event in 2013. Varsity was first or second in seven of eight starts at the distance on turf.

Source: Gulfstream Park