O'Connell, Campbell Can Sweep Florida Series

Trainer Kathleen O'Connell can complete a sweep of both the male and female divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes Series Oct. 12 at Calder Casino & Race Course when she saddles My Brown Eyed Guy and Scandalous Act for owner/breeder Gilbert Campbell.



Part of Saturday's "Festival of the Sun" program at the South Florida track, 2-year-old My Brown Eyed Guy is entered for the $300,000 In Reality division, while Scandalous Act tackles fillies in the $300,000 My Dear Girl division. Both races, restricted to progeny of stallions standing in Florida, will be run at 1 1/16 miles. The My Dear is race 7 with a 3:30 p.m. ET scheduled post time, with the In Reality to follow at approximately 4 p.m. ET.



Scandalous Act faces seven rivals in the Dear Girl after she dominated the first two legs of the series, both at Calder. She captured the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl division by 8 3/4 lengths as a 3-10 choice Aug. 24, which followed a 7 1/2-length romp in the Desert Vixen July 20. She has been beaten just once in four starts, a seventh-place finish in her stakes debut against open company in the 5 1/2-furlong J J’s Dream Stakes at Calder June 22.



O'Connell has tapped Eduardo Nunez to ride the daughter of Act of Duty, who drew post 6. Nunez rode the dark bay filly in her first three starts, while Antonio Gallardo was aboard last time. Scandalous Act will be trying a route distance for the first time.



Holiday Magic, one of three in the field entered by trainer William Kaplan, was no match for the favorite in her first two starts in the series while finishing second in the Desert Vixen and third in the Susan's Girl. But the daughter of Congrats   returned with a rousing 4 1/4-length victory in the Brave Raj Stakes at one mile and 70 yards on Festival Preview day Sept. 14. The bay filly, owned by Pinnacle Racing and partners, is to be ridden once again by Juan Leyva.

 

Kaplan also entered Paul Stein’s Quinnkat, who swapped places with the Holiday Magic in the earlier legs, finishing third in the Desert Vixen and second in the Susan's Girl. The D'wildcat   filly was also second in the Brave Raj.



The trainer is also represented by Ione and Herbert Elkins' Golden Friendships, a maiden special weight winner at Calder going one mile Sept. 21.



My Brown Eyed Guy, a son of With Distinction  , faces nine male opponents in the In Reality for trainer O'Connell. He is on a three-race win streak since debuting with a nose defeat against maidens June 15. In his most recent start Aug. 24, the dark bay or brown gelding led from the start and drew clear by 2 1/4 lengths in the seven-furlong Affirmed division. He was equally sharp in taking the Dr. Fager division at six furlongs July 20 by 3 1/4 lengths, also in front-running fashion.



Nunez has the call on My Brown Eyed Guy from post 7. Like his stablemate Scandalous Act, My Brown Eyed Guy will be making his first try around two turns.

 

Best Plan Yet finished second in both of the earlier legs of the FSS series and will take on My Brown Eyed Guy once again for owner/breeder Jacks or Better Farm and trainer Stanley Gold. The son of Hear No Evil   has had a start since the Affirmed, taking the Foolish Pleasure Stakes by one length Sept. 14 as the 7-5 favorite on preview day going one mile and 70 yards at Calder.



It was the first stakes win for Best Plan Yet, who bumped with In Reality foe Copa Del Rey in the stretch battle before prevailing late under Jeffrey Sanchez, who retains the mount.



Copa Del Rey weakened to third in the Foolish Pleasure and will be seeking his first lifetime win in six starts for trainer Salvatore Santoro. The With Distinction gelding was also third in the Dr. Fager before finishing fifth in the Affirmed.

 

Kaplan sends out We're All Set, a maiden graduate at one mile Sept. 22 at Calder. Worldly Vision ships in from Harrah's Louisiana Downs, where he scored a maiden victory by 4 1/2 lengths for trainer Eric Heitzmann when stretched out to one mile and 70 yards in his second start.

 

Two other stakes races are listed on the Festival of the Sun card, the $70,000 Tropical Park Derby for 3-year-olds, scheduled for 1 1/8 miles on turf, and the $70,000 Frances A. Genter Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, scheduled for one mile on turf.



$300,000 Florida Stallion My Dear Girl Stakes (Race 7, 3:30 p.m.), 2YO Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer

1. Old Wives Tale (FL), A A Gallardo, 118, K O'Connell

2. Quinnkat (FL), L Panici, W A Kaplan

3. Holiday Magic (FL), J C Leyva, W A Kaplan

4. Golden Friendships (FL), M R Cruz, W A Kaplan

5. Solitary (FL), A Jaen, M W Wolfson

6. Scandalous Act (FL), E O Nunez, K O'Connell

7. Starship Sassy (FL), J Sanchez, S Dwoskin

8. Fantastic Voyage (FL), E J Zayas, M J Azpurua

All carry 118 pounds.



$300,000 Florida Stallion In Reality Stakes (Race I, 4 p.m.), 2YOs, 1 1/16 Miles

PP. Horse, Jockey, Trainer

1. Arangol (FL), O Bocachica, M J Azpurua

2. Copa Del Rey (FL), J M Rios, S Santoro

3. Best Plan Yet (FL), J Sanchez, S I Gold

4. We're All Set (FL), J I Rodriguez, W A Kaplan

5. Tropical Force (FL), J C Leyva, E Plesa Jr.

6. Purchango (FL), J J Gonzales, G Procino

7. My Brown Eyed Guy (FL), E O Nunez, K O'Connell

8. Worldly Vision (LA), A A Gallardo, E L Heitzmann

9. D N A Approved (FL), E J Zayas, S I Gold

10. Rasta Rant (FL), J N Delgado, R Crichton

All carry 118 pounds.