Flutterby Tries to Regain Winning Form in Inside Information

When Flutterby captured the Gold Mover Stakes at Gulfstream Park last August, breeder/owner/trainer Jerry Bozzo was credited as being the oldest trainer to win a stakes race in Thoroughbred racing history at the age of 94.

 

The Florida-bred daughter of Congrats went on to capture the Added Elegance in her next start to further flatter Bozzo, who has previously came close to making history when his prized homebred came up just a neck short of winning the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2) at Gulfstream in July.

 

Wednesday, Bozzo entered Flutterby in Saturday’s $200,000 Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream in a quest to become the oldest trainer to win not only a graded stakes but a race of any classification.

 

“Then I’d be the first one to win a stake, the first one to win a graded stake and the first one to win a graded stake with a homebred,” Bozzo said. “Wow! There are a lot of firsts there.”

 

Bozzo turned 95 last Oct. 25, which, should Flutterby return to winning form in the Inside Information, would make him nearly three months older than the late Noble Threewitt was when he was recognized as the oldest trainer to win a race after sending out Three at Once for a maiden claiming victory at Santa Anita April 22, 2006, two months after turning 95.

 

Coming off a pair of losses, Flutterby will need to run back to her peak races of last season in order to put her trainer into the history books. The Florida-bred 5-year-old mare concluded her career year in 2015 by finishing third as the 2-5 favorite in the Millions Distaff Preview at Gulfstream Park West and began the 2016 season with a troubled sixth-place finish in the Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park Jan. 16.

 

“You have to throw that race out. She was never given a chance to win,” said Bozzo, whose pride and joy was bumped at the start before being trapped between horses while pressing the pace. “She would have won that race hands down.”

 

Flutterby, who has produced a series of sharp works in preparation for the seven-furlong Inside Information, previously had demonstrated high early speed and strong resolve in the stretch. After turning in a nine-length romp in an overnight handicap, she set a pressured pace before holding gamely to finish second behind multiple-graded stakes winner Merry Meadow in the Princess Rooney. The 2015 Florida-bred Female Sprinter subsequently won back to back.

 

Should she return to her winning ways in the Inside Information under regular rider Luca Panici, it will be a credit to her nonagenarian trainer’s patience for the strapping chestnut mare has not been an easy horse to train. Despite being a high-strung bundle of nerves, Flutterby has been able to perform at a high level.

 

“She’s not what you’d call a calm filly, but she’s no closer to the breaking point, either. She’s in hand,” Bozzo said. “She’s over the hump of extreme nervousness.”

 

Flutterby is scheduled to face nine other older fillies and mares in the Inside Information, including 2015 runner-up You Bought Her. Owned by Richard Perkins and Hinsley Racing Stable, the 6-year-old mare closed with a rush to miss catching Classic Point by a neck in the event named for the Shug McGaughey-trained Hall of Fame filly who was 3-0 at Gulfstream.

 

“She got too far out of it. I think if she laid a little bit closer, I think she could have won,” said trainer David Hinsley. “That’s my option, but there’s nothing you can do about it. “

 

The daughter of Graeme Hall, who finished second by a head in the Sunshine Millions Distaff Jan. 16, prepped for the Inside Information with a going-away 4 ¼-length triumph under Brian Pedroza in the six-furlong Minaret at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 20.

 

“Turning for home, Brian asked her and she just took off. He said it was easy from there. He said, ‘I didn’t have to do much of anything. I just let her cross the wire,” Hinsley said. “It worked out in our favor. That was our prep race for this one. She’s doing good; she’s training good.”

 

Dixiana Farm’s Tiger Ride, a multiple-stakes winner trained by Graham Motion, is set to make her 2016 in the Inside Information, making her first start since winning the off-the-turf Valley View (G3) last fall at Keeneland. The 4-year-old daughter of Candy Ride has won stakes on both turf and dirt.

 

“With this race, the timing is really good. There aren’t a lot of options right now to get her started. I liked the seven furlongs coming off a layoff. It just kind of fits her schedule,” Motion said. “She can build on this and go to Keeneland a month from now and run back on the turf or the dirt.”

 

Mary and Chester Broman Sr.’s Bar of Gold is also set to make her 2016 debut in the Inside Information. The 4-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro completed her sophomore season with runner-up finishes in the Prioress (G2) at Saratoga and the Raven Run (G2) at Keeneland for trainer John Kimmel.

 

Trainer Marty Wolfson entered three horses: Miller Racing’s  Grade 1 stakes-placed Kiss to Remember, who returns to Gulfstream after out-of-the money finishes in the Go for Wand (G3) at Aqueduct and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), and Best Behavior, the Sugar Swirl winner two starts back, as well as Ben McElroy’s Miss Melinda, runner-up in the Miami Shores last time out.