[sportsfan2006]

By Sam Story
Inspin.com/WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

This week we look towards the 25th running of the Grade 3 First Lady Handicap at Gulfstream Park. The 6-furlong sprint takes place Saturday at the famous south Florida track at approximately 5:13 EST.
A field of 8 will go post-ward in the $100,000 race for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up.
The field is highlighted by multiple-graded stakes winner Malibu Mint. She’s coming off a stellar performance in the Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap where she originally finished second to Rahy’s Appeal. But an inquiry sent her to the winner’s circle after Malibu Mint was hit in the face by the rival jockey's whip.
But that was back in November. Since then, Malibu Mint has posted only two workouts, both bullets, at the 4-furlong distance. You can bet there were other workouts to take place that didn’t make their way into the Daily Racing Form. Regardless, Malibu Mint has a big class advantage on this field and should be set up nicely for late kick from 3-hole.
Malibu Mint is a terrific horse, no question, but she’s not entirely alone in this field. There are multiple stakes winners, both graded and non, who permeate this First Lady field.
Earlie Fires, the famous Chicago-area jockey, will be riding Annabill. Annabill has reeled off three straight victories and has many factors working in her favor. She possesses a quick early turn of foot, and she has been drawn to the 1 spot, which will favor her front-running style. More so, her three recent Beyer Speed Figures of 89, 98 and 90 make her as good as any in the field, save Malibu Mint.
Actslikealady is an interesting entry. She is only 4-17 lifetime but picks up the services of John Velazquez. Velazquez previously rode Annabill and will be making the switch to the Luis Olivares-trained filly. Actslikealady had a terrific workout Jan. 6 at Calder Race Course. She breezed 4 furlongs in 47 4/5 seconds. She hasn’t raced since Dec. 18, but something tells me this jockey-trainer combination isn’t in this race for nothing.
Leona’s Knight breaks from the 4th position. She has been running against mediocre, at best, fields and looks to be outmatched in this race.
If there is a horse in this race who can outlast Malibu Mint, it is here in the 5th spot in Contrast. Contrast’s mother (dam) is Safely Kept, who won the Breeders' Cup Sprint. More relevant is the fact that Contrast is 4-of-5 lifetime and possesses speed, speed and more speed. In her 5 races, three of them she has gotten to a clear lead. Those three times you may wonder? Three victories. Twice in her career she has logged Beyers higher than 100: 105 in her first outing and 104 in her most recent stakes win (an ungraded one at Delaware Park). The only problem is that she hasn’t raced since June 20. If her solid workouts are any indication, jockey Eddie Castro will have her moving up front early.
Any Limit, breaking outside of Contrast, is a good filly but nothing great. Her win three races back was nothing extraordinary. She only had to beat two other fillies. She’ll receive the services of Rafael Bejarano, but class and speed will have her seriously outmatched.
No Hear Say… see Any Limit.
Flying Circle, breaking from the outside, has run in some good races but simply doesn’t have what it takes to win in a field that features Contrast, Malibu Mint and Annabill.
With all of that said, look for Contrast and Malibu Mint to finish 1-2. It sounds easy to pick the top two horses in the race, but when some of the other horses, or in this case, fillies, don’t match up … it’s best to take what is best.


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