Rated by Merit, Win N Your In Favored in FL Sire Stakes

St. Elias Stable's homebred Rated by Merit  left everyone wanting to see more of the son of Battalion Runner  after he streaked to a 9 3/4-length debut victory at Gulfstream Park July 13. 

Everyone will have that opportunity Saturday when Rated by Merit returns in the $100,000 Florida Sire Dr. Fager Stakes, the six-furlong first leg of the 2024 Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' & Owners' Association Florida Sire Stakes series for 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions. 

The Dr. Fager will co-headline Saturday's Gulfstream Park program with the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Desert Vixen Stakes, a six-furlong sprint for fillies.

Rated by Merit is the even-money morning-line favorite in a field of eight 2-year-olds after his flashy unveiling, which was rated by some speed figure services as one of the fastest this year by a juvenile.

"It was basically a 'wow' moment, I guess that's the best way to say it," trainer Michael Yates said. "I expected he would run well, but it was kind of a 'wow' moment."

Since his debut, Rated by Merit has had four workouts at Gulfstream Park that Yates is confident have prepared the Florida-bred colt for his return.

Ian Parsard, Shining Stables, and Stefania Farms' Neoequos  and Amy Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone's Classic of Course  are other contenders.

Small But Mighty Win N Your In Leads Desert Vixen

Trainer Carlos David didn't know what to expect when Win N Your In  embarked on her racing career in a Florida-bred maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park June 6. To look at the diminutive 2-year-old filly, no one could have blamed him for being realistic.

"She's a small filly. She doesn't strike you as a stakes horse. She was a $12,000 buy at the sales as a yearling. My owners know how racing is. If you get lucky, you get lucky. You never know with the babies," David said. "I had a green light to go where I wanted. I could have put her in for $35,000. With the Florida Sires Stakes coming up, I put her in a state-bred race and she ran third. The owners said, 'If you want to drop her to get the win, go ahead.'"

Two impressive wins later, Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston's little filly looms large as the even-money morning-line favorite for Saturday's $100,000 Desert Vixen at Gulfstream Park, where the daughter of Win Win Win   established herself as a stakes horse with a dominating 4 3/4-length in the Aug. 10 Sharp Susan Stakes in open company.

Win N Your In is scheduled to race six other fillies in the Desert Vixen, including Averill Racing's R Morning Brew  and Jose Pinchin and Christian Maingot's Wiggle An' Wine .