Con Lima Goes for Third Straight in Sweetest Chant

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's Con Lima, who stepped up and stretched out to become a stakes winner last month, goes after a third straight victory in the Jan. 30 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The $100,000 Sweetest Chant is for 3-year-old fillies one mile on the turf.

Con Lima comes from the barn of Todd Pletcher, who also trained her sire, 2015 Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (G2) winner Commissioner.

Already, Con Lima has six races under her belt with three wins and three seconds. Her first four starts came on dirt, including a pair of runner-up finishes in the P.G. Johnson Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and Our Dear Peggy Stakes at Gulfstream in September, both of which were rained off the grass.

Con Lima has won each her races since being switched to the grass, both in front-running fashion over the same course and distance as Saturday—a Dec. 12 optional claiming allowance and the Jan. 2 Ginger Brew Stakes, the latter by 3 1/4 lengths over Honey Pants, who also returns in the Sweetest Chant.

Video: Ginger Brew S. (BT)

"She's well-seasoned, and she's run over multiple surfaces, and she's been very consistent and honest," Pletcher said. "She's done well on the turf course here, so we'll see if she can keep it going."

Paco Lopez, aboard in the Ginger Brew, gets the return call from Post 4 of eight.

Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse is sending out Gary Barber's Director's Cut, a daughter of 2016 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Exaggerator , who owns one win and two seconds in three career tries on the Gulfstream turf course, including a runner-up finish last time out going 1 1/16 miles Jan. 10 in her sophomore debut.

Director's Cut was also second in the one-mile Sharp Susan Stakes on turf last August, rallying from far back to fall 1 1/4 lengths short of stablemate Spanish Loveaffair, who went on to be second in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) and run in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1).

"She came off the layoff and I thought she ran extremely well last time," Casse said. "She's been training well, so I would expect her to run well."

Luis Saez has the riding assignment from outside Post 8.

Lionessofbrittany, co-owned by trainer Steve Klesaris, Hibiscus Stables, and Dig That Mine, will be racing beyond five furlongs for the first time in her fourth career start. The Anchor Down  filly enters the Sweetest Chant off back-to-back victories in a maiden special weight Nov. 4 at Gulfstream Park West and an entry-level optional claiming allowance Jan. 1 at Gulfstream.

 "She has the versatility. She's tactically quick and good enough to be placed wherever the rider wants to be," Klesaris said. "She's done everything right. Really there isn't much around sprinting unless you go seven-eighths on the dirt in the (Forward Gal Stakes) here. If there's ever a time to try it, it's right now."

Edgard Zayas, up for her maiden victory, rides back from Post 7.

Candace O, Domain Expertise, Queen of the Green, and White Frost, all coming out of maiden wins, complete the field.

Entries: Sweetest Chant S. (G3T)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 30, 2021, Race 10

• Grade IIIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:18 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Queen of the Green (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Jon G. Arnett	15/1
2	2Honey Pants (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Christophe Clement	3/1
3	3Candace O (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	118	H. Graham Motion	12/1
4	4Con Lima (TX)	Paco Lopez	120	Todd A. Pletcher	5/2
5	5White Frost (KY)	Junior Alvarado	118	William I. Mott	9/2
6	6Domain Expertise (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Chad C. Brown	5/1
7	7Lionessofbrittany (FL)	Edgard J. Zayas	120	Steve Klesaris	10/1
8	8Director's Cut (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Mark E. Casse	6/1