American Sanctuary Returns to Action in Hutcheson

Trainer Christopher Davis will saddle American Sanctuary  March 19 at Gulfstream Park with the hope that the son of American Freedom   will finally get a clear run in the $100,000 Hutcheson Stakes.

Dare To Dream Stable's American Sanctuary has had troubled runs—sometimes of his own doing—in his last four races, most recently in the Nov. 6 TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (G1) at Del Mar.

"He had some time trouble last year, unfortunately, in a bunch of his races. Starting with his first stakes in Iowa right up to the Breeders' Cup," Davis said. "He's had some tough goes."

The Hutcheson, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, is featured on Saturday's program along with the $100,000 Any Limit, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, and the $100,000 Silks Run, a five-furlong turf dash for older horses.

American Sanctuary graduated in his second career start at Prairie Meadows last July following a fourth-place finish in his debut over Arlington International Racecourse's all-weather surface. He hasn't had a clear run since. Making his stakes debut at six furlongs in his third start, American Sanctuary finished second after being bumped at the start and was forced to race three-wide. In the mile Sapling Stakes at Monmouth Park, he was herded four-wide in the stretch before finishing second. In the 1 1/16-mile Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) at Keeneland, he closed to finish a creditable fourth after stumbling at the start and twice racing in traffic.

"He stumbled out of the gate and was last in the Breeders' Futurity. He made a huge run up the rail and took all the dirt," Davis said. "He came running. It's just hard to get home when you're 17 lengths back in a grade 1."

 A slow start resulted in a seventh-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

"He was second in two stakes with troubled trips and he finished fourth in a grade 1 with an extremely troubled trip. I think he's right there with any of these horses," Davis said. "Obviously, he's going to have to step up. Hopefully, he matured, like I think he has."

American Sanctuary has pleased his trainer with his training and physical growth since his juvenile finale.

"He's come back better than he was last year. He's bigger, stronger. He seems like he's going in the right direction," Davis said. "The Hutcheson might be a touch short for him. He's won going short, but against mediocre 2-year-olds. The ultimate game with him I think is the farther the better. We'll run in this race to get the year started and then point to bigger and better things."

Jose Ortiz is slated to ride American Sanctuary for the first time.

Spendthrift Farm and My Racehorse's Provocateur  is set to make his first start at Gulfstream in the Hutcheson following a pair of solid efforts at Tampa Bay Downs, where he broke his maiden and finished second in the Jan. 15 Pasco Stakes.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher gave the call aboard the son of Into Mischief   to Irad Ortiz Jr.

William and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Spendthrift Farm's Cattin  enters the Hutcheson off a third-place finish in the Pasco. The Ralph Nicks-trained son of Neolithic   had previously won the six-furlong Inaugural at Tampa Bay Downs.

R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and Spedale Family Racing's Nitrous Channel  will be making his anxiously awaited return following an eye-catching debut score at Gulfstream Feb. 5. The George Weaver-trained son of Nyquist   romped to a 2 1/4-length victory at six furlongs under Tyler Gaffalione, who has the return mount Saturday.

Arrest Me Red Rides Three-Race Win Streak Into Silks Run

Lael Stables' Arrest Me Red , who concluded his 3-year-old campaign with three straight stakes victories, is set for his 2022 debut in Saturday's $100,000 Silks Run at Gulfstream Park.

"He's training great. We never really gave him any time off after his last win at Aqueduct Racetrack," trainer Wesley Ward said. "We took him back to Kentucky, where he didn't have any fast works. We just kept him jogging and galloping. We took him to Payson and he's been working each and every week."

Arrest Me Red is coming off a front-running victory in the Nov. 27 Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship. The 4-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile  had previously won the Oct. 2 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational Stakes (G3T). Both turf sprints were run at six furlongs. The homebred colt won the 5 1/2-furlong Mahony Stakes at Saratoga Race Course in August.

Arrest Me Red has won five of seven career starts, including four wins from five turf races, but has yet to run a distance shorter than 5 1/2 furlongs.

"He should love it. I'd say he'd be better. He's a very fast horse," Ward said. "He looks like a quarter horse. He's a beautiful horse too."

Arrest Me Red has won coming off the pace, but his last two wins were achieved in front-running fashion.

"When you got speed, you go to the lead, right?" Ward said. "We'll leave it up to Irad."

Ortiz Jr., who was aboard for Arrest Me Red's victory in the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational, has the mount Saturday.

Golden Kernel Racing Stable's Yes I Am Free  is scheduled to seek his second straight graded stakes victory in the Silks Run after scoring by 3 1/4 lengths in the Feb. 12 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes (G3T). The 6-year-old gelded son of Uncaptured , who also won an overnight handicap during Gulfstream's Fall Meet, is seven-for-15 at five furlongs on turf.

Peace Sign Stables' Belgrano , who finished third behind Yes I Am Free in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint, will seek his third straight stakes-placing in the Silks Run. The Frank Russo-trained 8-year-old gelding vied for the early lead before weakening to finish third in the mile Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T) Jan. 8.

Plesa Seeks Fourth Stakes Win of Championship Meet with One Identity

A South Florida mainstay for nearly four decades, Eddie Plesa Jr. has had more than his share of ups and downs while riding the rollercoaster that is training Thoroughbreds.

"You get in streaks—good streaks, bad streaks. You don't take any of it seriously. At least I don't. Right now, everything seems to be clicking pretty good. The right races are going for us. Our horses all seem to be doing well," Plesa said.

During the current Championship Meet, Plesa is riding high, saddling 13 winners from 46 starters for a 28% strike rate. Saturday, the veteran horseman will seek his fourth stakes success of the Championship Meet with One Identity  in the $100,000 Any Limit, a six-furlong stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

One Identity, a homebred owned by Plesa's wife, Laurie, David Melin, Leon Ellman, Cathi Glassman and Karl Glassman, is undefeated in two starts, both at the current meeting. The daughter of Uncaptured  won her Jan. 22 debut by 4 1/2 lengths before scoring an off-the-pace half-length triumph in a five-furlong allowance for Florida-breds Feb. 11. One Identity broke from the No. 1 post position in both victories.

"She was well prepped, whether she broke from the rail or the outside of horses. She worked in company before her race. I keep them in company and try to put them in every position so they get some familiarity with those different things," Plesa said. "Some are quicker learners than others. She did a good job learning her lessons."

Plesa admits to gleaning a bit more satisfaction from the successes of homebred horses like One Identity.

"It adds another dimension. It's like being the proud papa. You have the mother. You pick who to breed to. You send them to school—nursery school, preschool, and then your school," he said. "It's a little bit more gratifying, no doubt about it."

Jose Ortiz is scheduled to ride One Identity for the first time in the Any Limit.

Jacks or Better Farm's homebred filly, Spirit Wind , is entered to make her stakes debut in the Any Limit off an impressive maiden victory at Gulfstream Feb. 18. The daughter of Bahamian Squall  , who finished second after an early duel in her debut last May, came off an eight-month layoff to score a 15 1/2-length front-running victory.

"It was a good race. But I don't know what she ran against and it's a huge step to run in a stakes the next time. Maybe, it's the right time to do it," trainer Ralph Nicks said.

Gary Barber's Strategic Bird , who broke her maiden at first asking by 12 3/4 lengths at Gulfstream in November, enters the Any Limit off a pair of stakes appearances at Tampa Bay Downs. The Mark Casse-trained daughter of Noble Bird   registered a front-running triumph in the Dec. 4 Sandpiper Stakes before coming up short to finish third after leading in the stretch run of the seven-furlong Jan. 15 Gasparilla Stakes last time out.