Appleton, Orchid Showcase Turf Stars at Gulfstream

Gulfstream Park's March 29 card is highlighted by the $100,000 Appleton Stakes (G3T) for older horses at a mile and the $100,000 Orchid Stakes (G3T) for older fillies and mares going 1 3/8 miles. Nine are entered in both races.

Trainer Bill Mott brings back William Schettine's homebred Krampus to the Appleton off a breakthrough victory in the Canadian Turf Stakes (G3T) earlier this month at Gulfstream. Krampus pressured the pace and held off the favorite, Breaking the Rules, by a head to pick up his first stakes victory.

"He ran well. I like to give him a lot of rest between races," Mott said. "This gives him four weeks. We'll see how he looks and how the race looks. He's coming out of a win so we're not pressed to run, but only if the situation looks good for him."

Doctor Mounty returns from a rebound victory in the Tropical Turf Stakes (G3T) for Larry Pratt and Dave Alden, where he was jostled at the start and rallied from last. The Shug McGaughey-trained horse earned his first stakes victory in the Baltimore/Washington International Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) last fall.

Back from an eight-month layoff is Penn Mile Stakes (G2T) winner Hawkish. Trained by Jimmy Toner, Hawkish won the Penn Mile in his fourth start when he rallied to a three-length win. He lacked the same kick in the Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes (G1T) and finished seventh.

Cowboy's Hero, Dr. Edgar,Holiday Stone, Uncle B, Vici, and Uno Emayo complete the Appleton, which is scheduled as Race 9 at 5:38 p.m. EDT Friday.

Trainer Christophe Clement is seeking his eighth victory in the Orchid and sends out Homeland Security for the first time. Moyglare Stud bought the mare for $460,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The purchase followed victories in the Zagora Stakes and the River Memories Stakes, both at Belmont Park.

"She's a stakes winner in New York so I knew the filly well because I raced against her last year," Clement said. "I like her. She's done everything right and she looks well. It's a touch ambitious to come back in a graded stakes, but she wants to go a mile and a quarter or more and we don't have that many choices."

Homeland Security's former Chad Brown stablemate Santa Monica (GB) began the season with a length loss in the 12-furlong La Prevoyante Stakes (G3T) when she rallied over yielding turf on the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) undercard. Santa Monica won the Dance Smartly Stakes (G2T) in her third North American start and hit the board in three other graded stakes last year before finishing 10th in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T).

Maroubra, A. A. Azula's Arch, Giant Zinger, Cha Cha Heels, Shezaprado, Ickymasho and Kallio complete the Orchid field. The feature runs as Race 10 at 6:08 p.m. EDT.

Entries: Appleton S. (G3T)

Gulfstream Park, Friday, March 29, 2019, Race 9

• Grade IIIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $100,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:38 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Cowboy's Hero (KY)	Carlos D. Lugo	118	Pedro Castillo	20/1
2	2Dr. Edgar (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Barclay Tagg	10/1
3	3Holiday Stone (KY)	Luis Saez	118	George Weaver	6/1
4	4Hawkish (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	James J. Toner	2/1
5	5Krampus (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	William I. Mott	4/1
6	6Uncle B (KY)	Jairo Rendon	122	Lilli Kurtinecz	10/1
7	7Vici (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Michael J. Maker	15/1
8	8Uno Emayo (NY)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	122	Lilli Kurtinecz	20/1
9	9Doctor Mounty (KY)	Javier Castellano	124	Claude R. McGaughey III	3/1