Middleburg Seeks Stakes Score in Miami Mile

Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone's homebred Middleburg appears ready to become a stakes winner in the $100,000 Miami Mile (gr. IIIT) from Gulfstream Park on April 25.

The Miami Mile is one of three stakes races offered Saturday at Gulfstream, which is kicking off their spring schedule along with the $75,000 Powder Break Stakes as well as the $60,000 Tarpon, an overnight handicap for 3-year-olds.

Run at Calder Race Course for the previous 28 years, the Miami Mile lured a field of 11 with Middleburg the starting co-high weight along with Shatak, each assigned 119 pounds.

Middleburg will be making his stakes debut in the Miami Mile, having won his last two starts including a three-quarters of a length score in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park on March 29.

The 5-year-old son of Lemon Drop Kid   has hit the board in 11 of 12 career starts, winning four times, including earnings of $214,760.

"He came out of his last race in good order. The horse is doing well," trainer Christophe Clement said. "He's always been a very honest type of horse. He tries very hard. I think we gave him enough time to avoid the bounce after his last race."

Jose Lezcano, who is currently riding at Keeneland, will fly in from Lexington for the day to ride Middleburg in the one-mile test. The 30-year-old Panamanian native has piloted the horse in nine of his 12 career starts, including three of his four lifetime victories.

"Jose Lezcano rode him quite a lot—many, many times—in New York," Clement said. "He knows the horse very well, and I was able to secure him to come back (to Florida) to ride the horse this weekend. I'm excited about it."

Middleburg will break from the rail in the Miami Mile.

Clement, who saddled Summer Front to victory in the 2013 Miami Mile, also entered Red Vine, a winner of his last two starts at Aqueduct, in the Miami Mile as a main track only runner.

Shatak will break from post 4 under jockey Eddie Castro, seeking his third straight decision after prevailing in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park on April 3.

The 5-year-old son of Cryptoclearance has won three of four starts at Gulfstream for owners Silver Moon Racing LLC.

Last year's Miami Mile winner Grand Tito is back to defend his title for owner Grupo 7C Racing Stable.

Trained by Gustavo Delgado, Grand Tito has lost his last seven starts but has hit the board in several graded stakes tries over the winter, a third-place finish in the Appleton Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream on March 28.

The 5-year-old son of Candy Ride   also finished second in both the Canadian Turf Stakes (gr. IIIT) on Feb. 21 and the Fort Lauderdale Stakes (gr. IIT) on Jan. 10.

Grand Tito will leave from post 6 under jockey Edgard J. Zayas.