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Oaks News
By: Joel Cunningham Crystal Current will be looking to take the next step towards a meeting in the Kentucky Oaks on the first Friday in May when she lines up as the favorite in the $200,000 Florida Oaks Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs. By the perennial leading stallion A.P. Indy out of the fabulous Grade I winning millionaire Dream Supreme, the regally bred Crystal Current has had lofty expectations placed on her from day one. But, typical of many of the progeny of A.P. Indy, she took a few starts to come around last year as a juvenile for trainer Bill Mott before breaking through with an impressive maiden score when stretching out at Aqueduct last November in her final start at two, giving promise for a solid sophomore campaign for owner George Steinbrenner's Kinsman Stable. Crystal Current returned straight into stakes company for her 3-year-old debut last month in the Suncoast Stakes, and she did not disappoint, drawing away impressively to post an easy victory despite racing wide throughout and never being asked for her best. That race figures to set Crystal Current up nicely for this mile-and-a-sixteenth event, and a win could move her a step closer to the Kentucky Oaks - a race her dam Dream Supreme never had the opportunity to run in. Crystal Current will break from post No. 6 under jockey Cornelio Velasquez, and she figures to enjoy a nice outside stalking trip behind what should be a solid pace. Gulfstream Park shippers Stolen Prayer and Bushfire should be the most prominent speed to provide for that quick early pace scenario from their inside posts, as they'll break from first and second stalls. Stolen Prayer exits a fourth-place run in the Gr. II Davona Dale last out where she set a pressured pace on the inside before fading in the stretch. That effort was on what was considered to be the worst part of the sloppy Gulfstream track, and the daughter of sensational first crop sire Songandaprayer could be a tough customer on the front end, as she already has a stakes victory under her belt at the distance of the Florida Oaks. Bushfire also flashed early foot in the Davona Dale before fading badly to be last of seven. The Louis Quatorze filly picks up jockey John Velazquez for this, and she has flashed the ability to be very dangerous in here, having defeating top 3-year-old filly Teammate two starts back in a Gulfstream Park allowance. Sangrita and Saratoga Drive are a pair of interesting up-and-coming fillies that will also make the trek from Gulfstream Park for the Florida Oaks. Both are coming off impressive wins in their last starts in Hallendale, Florida, but they will need to prove that they belong in their stakes debut. Trained by Michael Matz, who also has top 3-year-old colt Barbaro, Sangrita was most impressive when breaking her maiden last month at Gulfstream Park by some 12 lengths. The daughter of Mr. Greeley will have the services of jockey Jeremy Rose from post No. 3. Saratoga Drive has captured her last two starts for trainer Rick Violette with lengths to spare, and another forward move could place her in contention Saturday afternoon. Jockey Javier Castellano will partner this daughter of Siphon from post No. 7, and her off-the-pace style figures to be an asset in here, settling perfectly in the second flight behind the early pace. The full order for the 23rd running of the Florida Oaks from the rail out includes (with jockeys): Stolen Prayer (Lezcano), Bushfire (Velazquez), Sangrita (Rose), A,J.'s Coal Bed (Rocco), Love Boot (Toribio), Crystal Current (Velasquez), Saratoga Drive (Castellano), Summit Queen (Villa-Gomez) and Taylor Madison (Ferrer). |
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