Reporting Star attempts to navigate marathon distance in Pan American

Merriebelle Stable’s Reporting Star will be among the horses attempting to run a mile and a half in Saturday’s $200,000 Pan American Stakes (G2) on the turf at Gulfstream Park.

 

The 56th running of The Pan American will be part of a card highlighted by the $1 million Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (G1).

 

Reporting Star, trained by Brendan Walsh, has run the 1 ½-mile distance three times, all at Woodbine. He finished third in the 2014 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (G1), sixth in the 2014 Canadian International Stakes (GI) and fifth in the 2015 Canadian International Stakes.

 

“He’s always been a versatile horse,” Walsh said. “He ran well at a mile-and-a-half before, so we’ll have another go at it with him. Conditioning wise, I think he’s starting to get to where he’s set to run his best race. I’m really happy with him.”

 

The 7-year-old dark bay gelding by Circular Quay out of Classic Beauty (Sword Dance IRE), won the turf mile Appleton Stakes (G3) on Florida Derby Day last year.

 

Reporting Star, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano, has run three times so far this winter at Gulfstream Park. He finished third in both the Jan. 21 Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes and March 4 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2), and fourth in the El Prado Stakes on Dec. 17.

 

“Gulfstream is his place,” Walsh said of the gelding bred in Florida by Gilbert Campbell. “He seems to love Gulfstream and Woodbine. They seem to be his tracks.”

 

Trainer Mike Maker will have two starters in The Pan American field of older horses -- Three Diamonds Farm’s Designed for War, with Joel Rosario aboard, and Michael Hui’s Taghleeb, with jockey Jose Ortiz.

 

Taghleeb, a 6-year-old chestnut son of Hard Spun, won both of his previous starts during the current championship meet at Gulfstream. He took the H. Allen Jerkens Stakes by 1¾ lengths on Dec. 31 and the W. L. McKnight Handicap (G3) by a head on Jan. 28.

 

“He continues to hold to form,” Maker said. “We’re very pleased with him.”

 

Designed for War, a 5-year-old bay War Front ridgling, ran fourth in his last outing, a 1 1/8-mile allowance optional claiming race on March 17. It was his first appearance at Gulfstream Park in 12 career starts.

 

“Looks like he’ll appreciate more ground. It’ll be his first time doing it,” Maker said. “Looking for a big effort from him.”

 

Trainer Todd Pletcher will start Starlight Racing’s Snag, a Kentucky bred. John Velazquez gets the ride.

 

A 4-year-old bay son of Harlan’s Holiday, Snag was sixth in the Dec. 31 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes and fourth in a 1 3/16-mile turf allowance optional claiming on Feb. 11 at Gulfstream.

 

Chad Brown-trained Mr Maybe will try to improve on his last two starts, both at Gulfstream. The 6-year-old gray/roan Ghostzapper gelding finished 10th in the W. L. McKnight Handicap (G3) and fifth in the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2).

 

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Liberation Farm et al, Mr Maybe is owned by Michael Dubb, Head of Plains Partners LLC and Highclere America.  Paco Lopez will be in the saddle.

 

James Karp and James Patterson’s Patterson Cross, to be ridden by Jose Lezcano, has finished on the board in his past three starts, all at Gulfstream Park. The Bill Mott-trained 4-year-old bay Arch son won an allowance optional claiming race Dec. 15; was third in the W. L. McKnight Handicap (G3); and second in the Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2).