Graded-Winning Trio Tries Kitten's Joy

Graded stakes winners Azar, Life Imitates Art, and Conquest Daddyo will take to the Gulfstream Park turf Jan. 30 for the $100,000 Kitten's Joy Stakes.



Life Imitates Art, a son of More Than Ready   owned by Klaravich Stables and William Lawrence, is the only runner in the seven-colt field who has a start in 2016. The Chad Brown trainee closed from seventh to win his graded debut Jan. 2 in the Dania Beach (gr. IIT) at Gulfstream.



LEWYN: 'Life' Denies Isotherm in Dania Beach



Conquest Daddyo and Azar, on the other hand, are making their first starts since running in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (gr. IT), where they came in fourth and 13th, respectively.



Both had troubled trips at 15-1 in the Juvenile Turf and brought graded scores into North America's premier event at Keeneland.



Mark Casse-trained Conquest Daddyo, by Scat Daddy  , broke through in his first graded start, the Summer Stakes (Can-IIT) at Woodbine in September.



NOVAK: Bravo Lands Summer Win on Conquest Daddyo



Another Scat Daddy colt, Azar also won his graded debut for trainer Todd Pletcher in the With Anticipation Stakes (gr. IIT) at Saratoga Race Course in September and followed that effort with a neck second in the Pilgrim (gr. IIIT) at Belmont Park.



NOVAK: Azar Captures With Anticipation Stakes



Last-out stakes winner Don't Be So Salty, stakes-placed J R 's Holiday, along with maiden winners Shoot Craps and Little Mo, complete the field.