Maker Doubles Chances in Pan American
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Photo: Coady Photography
Bigger Picture wins the John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston
Trainer Mike Maker has double the firepower for the $250,000 Pan American Handicap (G2T) March 30 at Gulfstream Park.
Not only will he send out Jan. 27 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes (G3T) winner Bigger Picture—the 124-pound highweight in the 1 1/2-mile turf test—but he'll look to break through with Soglio, three times the bridesmaid in recent efforts.
Bigger Picture has not raced for Three Diamonds Farm since his John B. Connally score, his third in the 1 1/2-mile event at Sam Houston, and Soglio comes off a similar span, having run second in the Jan. 26 W.L. McKnight Stakes (G3T) by a half length to Zulu Alpha in his most recent start.
Soglio, a 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy campaigned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, was also second in the Dec. 29 H. Allen Jerkens Stakes at Gulfstream and in the Nov. 17 Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Rafael Hernandez rides Soglio from post 8 while Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Bigger Picture from the outside in a field of nine.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, who saddled Hi Happy to victory in last year's Pan American, will send out Angels of Catalina's Red Smith winner Village King, a 5-year-old also from Argentina. Since coming to South Florida, the son of Campanologist has finished fourth over a sloppy track in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes (G3), seventh on a yielding turf course in the McKnight, and fifth last time out in the March 2 Mac Diarmida Stakes (G2T) after setting the pace.
"He ran hard last time. He was on the lead for most of the Mac Diarmida," Pletcher said. "It was a little soft the time before that (in the McKnight). He's a pretty versatile horse. He shows up and runs hard every time."
Canessar, trained by Arnaud Delacour, was fifth in the McKnight when making his first start since a second in the July 7 Stars and Stripes Stakes (G3T) at Arlington International Racecourse. Feargal Lynch rides.
Focus Group, trained by Chad Brown, was last seen finishing third in the Pattison Canadian International Stakes (G1T) at Woodbine in October.
Rounding out the field are Melmich, Nessy, Highland Sky, and Salute the Colonel. Gulfstream Park, Saturday, March 30, 2019, Race 13Entries: Pan American S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Focus Group (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
120
Chad C. Brown
4/1
2
2Melmich (ON)
Javier Castellano
120
Kevin Attard
6/1
3
3Village King (ARG)
John R. Velazquez
120
Todd A. Pletcher
8/1
4
4Canessar (FR)
Feargal Lynch
120
Arnaud Delacour
7/2
5
5Nessy (KY)
Julien R. Leparoux
118
Ian R. Wilkes
20/1
6
6Highland Sky (KY)
Manuel Franco
120
Barclay Tagg
12/1
7
7Salute the Colonel (FL)
Luis Saez
118
Joseph F. Orseno
15/1
8
8Soglio (KY)
Rafael Manuel Hernandez
118
Michael J. Maker
3/1
9
9Bigger Picture (KY)
Tyler Gaffalione
124
Michael J. Maker
6/1
