Florida Focus

Popular Me and Mr. C Rallies to Win Soldier’s Dancer Scores $25,000 FTBOA Win Bonus

also won the $110,000 Grey Goose Turf Classic in 2021 at Tampa Bay Downs and the $75,000 Mr. Steele on the grass at Gulfstream Park in May of last year.

Me and Mr. C was stakes-placed in his three starts prior to the Soldier’s Dancer having finished third in the $75,000 Sunshine Turf at Gulfstream on Jan. 23, second to Drama Chorus in the $110,000 Grey Goose Turf Classic on March 26 and third in Max K. O.’s $100,000 Mr. Steele on May 14.

His career mark now stands at eight wins, six seconds and five thirds from 31 starts with earnings of $398,925.

A 6-year-old son of Journeyman Stud’s Khozan out of Abiding, by Dynaformer, Me and Mr. C was bred by Stonehedge LLC. He garnered a final bid of $50,000 as a 2-year-old at OBS March, but was an RNA from the Paul Sharp consignment.

The unraced Abiding has also produced multiple stakeswinner Abiding Star, by Uncle Mo and has five winners from six starters. The late Gilbert Campbell purchased Abiding for $85,000 out of the 2010 Keeneland November sale for $85,000 from the Lane’s End as agent consignment. n

Tamarindo Upsets Beth’s Dream in Ginger Punch

Sent to the post as the 6-5 favorite, Paradise Farms Corp. and David Staudacher’s Me and Mr. C went five-wide around the far turn before running down Lure Him In inside the final furlong to win the $65,000 Soldier’s Dancer by a length-and-a-half at Gulfstream Park on June 11. The mile-and-70-yard Soldier’s Dancer featured a field of eight 3-year-olds and older who were bred in Florida. Me and Mr. C cashed in on an additional $25,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes win bonus.

Trained by Mike Maker, Me and Mr. C also gave jockey Edgard Zayas his fourth win of the day, including both stakes on the card.

Indy Lyon and jockey Edwin Gonzalez set the pace with a length-and-a-half margin on Souper Legacy in second through the first half-mile. Me and Mr. C raced in fourth along the rail from about four lengths back. Approaching the far turn, Zayas eased Me and Mr. C to the outside for a clear run at the trio of Indy Lyon, Souper Legacy and Lure Him, who were three across the track on the lead. Lure Him emerged from the turn with a slight edge but could not hold off Me and Mr. C., who finished in 1:40.97.

Lure Him In held second, three-quarters of a length in front of Souper Legacy in third. Cashier Check, Uno Tiger, Merlin, Sociallongdistance and Indy Lyon finished in the order.

Me and Mr. C returned $4.60 to win.

It was the third career stakes victory for Me and Mr. C, who

Coming off an eighth-place finish in the Grade 3 Orchid won by Amazing Grace going a mile-and-a-half at Gulfstream on April 1, Stefania Farms LLC’s Tamarindo ran past 1-5 favorite Beth’s Dream in deep stretch to win the $65,000 Ginger Punch at Gulfstream Park on June 11.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. and ridden by Edgard Zayas, Tamarindo defeated five other fillies and mares bred in Florida going a mile-and-70-yards over the synthetic course for her second career victory.

Tamarindo tracked in fourth during the first two furlongs as Prudent Song sprinted to a two-length lead ahead of Beth’s Dream in second. Beth’s Dream closed the gap to a half-length after a half-mile and drew even with the leader around the far turn as Tamarindo chased in third from two lengths back. Beth’s Dream took the edge inside the final sixteenth but her lead was short lived as Tamarindo shot past her in the final yards to win by a length-and-a-half in 1:42.66.

Beth’s Dream finished a half-length faster than Prettykeen in the show spot followed by Chick’s Shadow in fourth. Prudent Song was fifth followed by Treasure Tails. Battle Cry was scratched.

Tamarindo was let go at odds of 7-1 and paid $17.40 to win.

The daughter of Into Mischief out of the unraced Love Mia (Arg), by El Sultan (Arg) won on debut against maiden $40,000 optional claimers going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on synthetic in September but in five starts since, her best finish was a second to Riveting Spirit in a first level, $20,000 optional claiming going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the grass at Gulfstream on Feb. 3.

Tamarindo was bred by Craig L. Wheeler, who consigned her to the 2021 OBS April Sale where she did not meet her reserve after a final bid of $290,000. She was also a $145,000 RNA at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-year-olds a month later from the Cary Frommer consignment.

Tamarindo now has two wins and two seconds in 10 starts with earnings of $93,020.

Love Mia has also produced multiple-stakes-winner Wild Mia, by Wildcat Heir and has five winners from seven starters. n

Flakes Holds Off Charlie’s Wish for Florida-bred Exacta in Game Face Takes $25,000 FTBOA Florida-bred Bonus

Owned by Brian Cohen’s BC Racing LLC, Flakes held off a late challenge by 8-5 favorite Charlie’s Wish to complete a Florida-bred exacta in the Game Face over a muddy six-and-a-half furlongs at Gulfstream Park on June 17. In addition to taking the winner’s share of the $75,000 purse against seven other 3-year-old fillies, Flakes earned a $25,000 Florida-bred win bonus presented by Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association for a $68,650 payday.

Third in the early going behind leaders Queen Karima and It Takes Heart, Flakes and jockey Edgard Zayas glided around those two in the turn for a short advantage past the quarter pole and a clear lead at the top of the stretch. However, Charlie’s Wish made a persistent run in the final furlong only to finish a neck short at the wire as Flakes won in 1:17.96 as the 9-5 second choice. Pachuca was third followed by Arella Star, It Takes Heart, Jellicle Katz, Queen Karima and Florida-bred Girvin Girl.

Trained by Juan Alvarado, Flakes returned $5.80 in winning her first stakes race. The $1 exacta with the two Sunshine State natives also paid $5.80.

Flakes won her first career start by three lengths against $50,000 maiden optional claimers going six furlongs in December at Gulfstream before jumping into Grade 3 company in her second race on Feb. 4. Flakes finished sixth behind winner Red Carpet Ready in the Forward Gal, but bounced back to win a first level allowance over seven furlongs against Florida-bred fillies on Feb. 22. Alvarado then entered Flakes in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks at a mile-and-a-sixteenth on April 1 where she was a respectable third behind winner Affirmative Lady before finishing second to Imonra in a first level, $75,000 optional claiming over a muddy mile at Gulfstream on May 26 just prior to the Game Face.

“We always thought seven-eighths would be her best distance, but she was training well and we just figured we’d try [the Gulfstream Park Oaks],” Cohen said. “I think six-and-a-half or seven furlongs, especially if she gets an outside post so she can stalk the pace, is nice for her.”

Bred in Florida by Arindel, Flakes is by Frosted out of the graded-stakes-placed stakes-winner Tell a Great Story, by Bluegrass Cat. She now has three wins with a second and third in six starts with earnings of $173,330. Flakes was purchased by Cohen under his BC Racing banner at last year’s Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale for $50,000 out of the Arindel consignment.