Strike Power Looks to Make the Grade in Swale

A sizzling debut by Courtlandt Farms' Strike Power earned him a step up to graded company for just his second start, the $200,000 Swale Stakes Feb. 3 at Gulfstream Park.

The son of Speightstown  came within .33 seconds of Discreet Dancer's 2011 track record for 5 1/2 furlongs with his 1:02.67 clocking in a Dec. 23 maiden special weight at Gulfstream. The Kentucky-bred colt, trained by Mark Hennig, broke cleanly from his rail post position to quickly take a lead he never relinquished, en route to scoring by eight lengths under Luis Saez.

"It was a really nice debut," Hennig said. "Hopefully he can run something equivalent to that. It's a big step up but there's not a bunch in there that have been running in graded stakes, so they're kind of all stepping up. Certainly going for the second start of his life into a stake is still a tough row to hoe."

Hennig is confident that the timing is right for the Courtlandt Farm homebred to return in the Swale. 

"That's why we tried to have some spacing, because I didn't want to run him back too quick. There was a seven-eighths an-other-than back like in three weeks, but I thought that was a little too quick," Hennig said. "Hopefully he can run close to that number or doesn't regress too much."

Leading rider Luis Saez has the return mount aboard Strike Power, who drew the outside post position in a field of six 3-year-olds.

Derek Chin's Piven enters the Swale with considerably more experience than the Hennig trainee, having started five times, including a four-length triumph in the six-furlong Limehouse Stakes at Gulfstream Jan. 6.

"He ran to the way he was working. It was a restricted race. This race is going to be a whole different ballgame," trainer Kevin Attard said. "He's going to have to step up. I don't know why not. He's a young horse; he's improving. We're hoping he goes in the right direction."

Piven demonstrated talent in his first four starts on Woodbine's synthetic surface, breaking his maiden at first asking and placing twice in stakes, before making his dirt debut in the Limehouse.

"He had trained well on it back home. I've always liked him." Attard said. "It was a restricted race. He had come here and had a couple of sensational works. It looked like he was adjusting to Florida and Gulfstream, so we gave him a shot in a race I thought was reachable and he confirmed it."

The Florida-bred son of Prospective  will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time. Jose Ortiz, who rode Piven to victory in the Limehouse, has opted to ride Lael Stable's Tricks to Doo in the Swale.

The Arnaud Delacour-trained Tricks to Doo broke his maiden in his second career start by 5 3/4 lengths at Laurel Park in October before coming back to capture the six-furlong Inaugural Stakes Dec. 1 at Tampa Bay Downs by 7 1/4 lengths. 

Diamond King enters the Swale with three dominating triumphs in four starts, his only loss coming in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2), in which he lost his rider after clipping heels with another horse early in the 1 1/16-mile race.

Owned by Cash is King and D.J. Stable, the son of Quality Road  won his first two races at Parx Racing and bounced back from his unlucky start at Churchill Downs with a 1 1/2-length victory in the $100,000 Heft Stakes Dec. 30 at Laurel. 

Lothenbach Stables' Gotta Go, who is slated to make his 2018 debut in the Swale, will also try to bounce back from a rough experience in the Kentucky Jockey Club, in which he ran into traffic on both turns before finishing 13th.

In his previous start, the Ian Wilkes-trained son of Shanghai Bobby  closed with a rush to capture the Oct. 29 Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs in his first start around two turns. He previously broke his maiden in a six-furlong race at Churchill.

Secure Investments' Empire Power, a son of Bodemeister  who finished third behind Piven in the Limehouse, rounds out the field for trainer Antonio Sano.

Also on the Saturday card, multiple stakes winner Take Charge Paula will put her two-race win streak to the test as she returns to graded company in the first start for her new connections in the $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3).

The daughter of 2012 Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy was purchased privately by Peter Deutsch following her determined half-length triumph in the six-furlong House Party Stakes over a sloppy track Dec. 9 at Gulfstream.

 "We're still getting to know her but she's been lovely to have around and has done everything right," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. "She's training very well. It's not going to be easy, but graded stakes aren't' supposed to be easy. We're looking forward to the race and running her for us for the first time."

Entries: Swale S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 03, 2018, Race 4

• Grade III
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo
• 1:30 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Diamond King (KY)	Frankie Pennington	120	John C. Servis	7/2
2	2Tricks to Doo (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Arnaud Delacour	3/1
3	3Gotta Go (KY)	Chris Landeros	120	Ian R. Wilkes	8/1
4	4Empire Power (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	116	Antonio Sano	15/1
5	5Piven (FL)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	120	Kevin Attard	4/1
6	6Strike Power (KY)	Luis Saez	116	Mark A. Hennig	7/5

Entries: Forward Gal S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 03, 2018, Race 10

• Grade III
• 7f
• Dirt
• $200,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 4:43 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Sultry (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	120	Eddie Kenneally	10/1
2	2Morning Destiny (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	116	Antonio Sano	15/1
3	3Heavenhasmynikki (OH)	Luis Saez	116	Anthony T. Quartarolo	6/1
4	4Take Charge Paula (KY)	Paco Lopez	120	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	3/1
5	5Foxtrot Sally (KY)	Chris Landeros	116	George R. Arnold, II	15/1
6	6Violent Times (PA)	Edgard J. Zayas	116	Ralph E. Nicks	9/2
7	7Miss Mo Mentum (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Mark E. Casse	9/5
8	8My Miss Lilly (KY)	Javier Castellano	116	Mark A. Hennig	8/1