Stonetastic Set to Make 2016 Debut in Miami Shores

Beaten as the favorite following some early trouble in her last start, Stoneway Farm’s Stonetastic is set to make her 5-year-old debut as one of two graded stakes winners in Sunday’s $65,000 Miami Shores.

A gray or roan daughter of Mizzen Mast, Stonetastic was assigned topweight of 121 pounds and drew post three in a field of seven entered in the 6 ½-furlong sprint for fillies and mares 4 and up which serves as a prep for the $200,000 Inside Information (G2), run at seven furlongs March 19.

Since winning the Prioress (G2) in August 2014 at Saratoga, Stonetastic shows one win from seven starts, a front-running 15 ¾-length allowance romp at Parx Sept. 1 at the Miami Shores distance. Her other six starts have all come in stakes, five of them graded, including back-to-back trips to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1).

“She’s had some tough races,” trainer Kelly Breen said. “This race wasn’t originally on the map for down here but they put it up as a prep for the race in another month and hopefully she runs well in it and we can run back in another month going seven-eighths.”

Stonetastic capped 2015 in the Sugar Swirl (G3) Dec. 26 at Gulfstream, a race where regular rider Paco Lopez was forced to check early and then drifted out late when running second by two lengths behind Best Behavior, who is entered in Saturday’s $200,000 Royal Delta (G2).

She shows four sharp works at Palm Meadows since the race, including half-mile breezes in 47.20 seconds Jan. 9 and 47.40 Jan. 19, the fastest of 78 and 74 horses, respectively.

“She’s doing well. Last time out she got sawed off a little bit after the break. Hopefully we’ll have some clear sailing and have no trouble,” Breen said. “Paco’s back aboard, and she’s doing really well.”

A gutsy neck winner last month at Gulfstream to open her 4-year-old campaign, Fond of Sarah goes after her first career stakes win in the Miami Shores.

Owned and trained by John Assimakopoulos and bred in Florida by his father, Charles, the bay daughter of With Distinction returned from a six-month break between races Jan. 8 where she was pressured on the lead throughout but held on to win by a neck over Ida Bambina.

“I wanted to give her a little rest, and she had an infection in the summer and for two months it kind of knocked her out,” Assimakopolous said. “It was a long process to get her back, but it was a great race from her. I was thrilled to death. She always tries her best.”

The second-level optional claiming allowance victory came over the same course at the same distance as the Miami Shores and was Fond of Sarah’s third win in six lifetime starts at Gulfstream. She also won at six and seven furlongs during last winter’s Championship Meet.

Fond of Sarah has attempted stakes company before, finishing third in the Tangelo Handicap and fourth in the Azalea (G3) last summer at Gulfstream, and off the board in the 2014 Sandpiper Stakes.

“She’s a game filly,” Assimakopoulos said. “She came out of her last race real good, she’s been training great and I’m hoping for a big effort. I know it’s a tough race, but we’ll see what happens.”