Reagan's Flame Poised to Ignite in Presque Isle Masters

Reagan's Flame  plays to her all-weather-surface racing strength in battling eight other female sprinters in the $300,000 Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes (G2) the evening of Sept. 18.

The 5-year-old Flameaway   mare is 3-0-1 in four starts on Tapeta, an all-weather surface, when racing this year at Gulfstream Park and Woodbine. Now, she tests the surface over 6 1/2 furlongs at Presque Isle Downs, which conducts all of its racing on Tapeta.

Edgard Zayas, aboard for a last-out win in the Aug. 22 Seaway Stakes (G3) at Woodbine, returns in the irons. Reagan's Flame had earlier won the Whimsical Stakes (G3) there in May under Sahin Civaci. She is 8-5-2 in 23 overall starts.

Video: Seaway S. (G3)

Saffie Joseph Jr. trains her for owners St. Elias Stable, BAG Racing Stables, Turf Express Racing, and Watkins Diamond Stables.

Besides starting Reagan's Flame, the 8-5 morning-line favorite, Joseph has a second entry in stakes-winning Paradise City🔥 , the 9-2 fourth choice in the race. The daughter of McKinzie   has never raced on Tapeta, but drops in class after a fifth-place finish in the Aug. 29 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

Further contenders include Pondering  and Les Reys , both of whom won graded stakes on Tapeta last year at Woodbine. 

Friday's card at Presque Isle includes four other stakes, which precede the Masters, the ninth race on the 10-race card. Bossy Wossy  and Frost Rocket  top the 6 1/2-furlong, $100,000 Fitz Dixon Jr. Memorial Juvenile Stakes, the seventh race, and Encino  is the headliner in the 1 1/16-mile, $150,000 Presque Isle Mile Stakes for 3-year-olds and up a race later. Earlier on the card, Royal Companion  is favored in the $100,000, 6 1/2-furlong Presque Isle Debutante Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, while John Dutton  is the 9-5 morning-line choice in the $75,000, 6 1/2-furlong Power by Far Stakes for state-breds 3 and up.