Bluebirds Over, Honor D Lady Pointed to Turf Stakes

Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Bluebirds Over  and Madaket Stables and James Matthew Thompson's Honor D Lady  will be pointed to 3-year-old turf stakes during the upcoming Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park following the promising stakes performances over Woodbine's Tapeta synthetic track Nov. 26.

Bluebirds Over, a son of English Channel , rated just off the pace before drawing away to a 1 1/2-length victory in the CA$150,000 Grey Stakes (G3) for juveniles for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.

"He's grass. He's won on Tapeta, but he has a turf pedigree," Joseph said.

The major stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Gulfstream Park this winter include the $125,000 Dania Beach Stakes Jan. 7, the $175,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) Feb. 4, and the $200,000 Palm Beach Stakes March 4.

Honor D Lady, a daughter of Honor Code who ran third in the $150,000 Mazarine Stakes (G3), will "follow the (turf) series for fillies," Joseph said. "Eventually, she might go back on dirt once because she's a useful filly."

The major turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies include the $125,000 Ginger Brew Stakes Jan. 7, $175,000 Sweetest Chant Stakes (G3T) Feb. 4, and the $200,000 Herecomesthebride Stakes (G3T) March 4.

Joseph's immediate plans for recent impressive debut winner Mr. Ripple  hit a temporary roadblock.

"He was entered (Nov. 27), but we scratched him. We were going to go to the Remsen (G2), but he ended up spiking a temp, so he ended up missing both of them," Joseph said. "He'll come back in an allowance here, and if it's not too late, he'll go to the Holy Bull."

The $250,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3), scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 4, is the first major prep for the $1 million, 1 1/8-mile Curlin Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream April 1.

Legacy Racing's Mr. Ripple, a son of Dialed In  , rolled to a 9 1/4-length debut victory when racing a mile at Gulfstream Oct. 15.

Sano Looking Ahead to Harlan's Holiday

Trainer Antonio Sano is optimistic about the winter season, and a big part of it could be Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2) winner Simplification .

Owned by Tami Bobo and Tristan De Meric, Simplification was back on the work tab Nov. 26 for the first time since finishing seventh Nov. 5 in the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1). The 3-year-old son of Not This Time  , third in the Florida Derby and fourth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1), is doing well, Sano said, and is being trained for a winter campaign at Gulfstream.

"He worked well, and the plan is to go (Dec. 31) in the Harlan's Holiday (G3)," said Sano, referring to the 1 1/16-mile event that has been used as a prep for the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 28. "He came out of the Breeders' Cup perfect. I was happy with the way he ran. We're going to see what happens in the Harlan's Holiday, and after December we will think about Pegasus."