Double Entendre drops in class and moves to turf in Christmas Past

Loooch Racing Stables and Glenn Ellis’ Double Entendre is scheduled for a drop in class and a move to turf in Saturday’s $75,000 Christmas Past Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Peter Walder, the daughter of American Lion is set to meet 10 rivals in the 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies after back-to-back Grade 2 appearances in the Gulfstream Park Oaks April 2 and the Black-Eyed Susan May 20.

“Originally, we were going to enter for main-track-only, but I just thought, ‘What the heck, every horse should try turf at some time,’” Walder said. “I thought she ran a great race in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, and if she runs that race on Saturday, grass or dirt, it makes her pretty tough to beat.”

Purchased privately after capturing her debut by eight lengths at Sam Houston Park Feb. 29, Double Entendre finished fifth in the Gulfstream Park Oaks, won by Go Maggie Go. She shipped to Pimlico for her most recent start and was no match for victorious Go Maggie Go in the Black-Eyed Susan, in which she finished 12th after being steadied early and checked in traffic going into the first turn while wearing blinkers for the first time.

The blinkers will be removed for the Christmas Past, a race named in honor of the 1982 champion 3-year-old filly who captured the 1983 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G1) in her final career start.

Leading rider Emisael Jaramillo has the mount aboard Double Entendre.

Also entered in the Christmas Past: Sharp Kitty, Virgen Morena, She Takes Heart, Shesthewinner, Cali Cat, Nasha Nadezhda, Tizjet, Temple Fur, Bonita and Melody Croon.

Tyler Gaffalione on Sidelines until June 16

Tyler Gaffalione, recipient of the 2015 Eclipse Award as the country's outstanding apprentice jockey, will return to riding Thursday, June 16, according to agent Walter Blum Jr.

Gaffalione, who has been off his mounts since riding the first three races June 2, has been recovering from a lung infection.

“He was actually misdiagnosed originally,” Blum said. “He had an infection, fluid in his lungs and low potassium. But his heart is fine, they've done all kinds of tests, and everything looks OK to come back next week.”

Gaffalione was the leading rider during last year's spring and summer meets at Gulfstream Park.

Source: Gulfstream Park