magic wheel 2-year-old champion of 2022, will debut in 2023 with a $150,000 Suncoast Stakes on February 11 ahead of eight other women, including the Triple Crown contender Julia shines In Tampa . Bay.
Suncoast Stakes, a 1-mile 40-yard run for 3-year-olds on the main dirt track, is part of Saturday’s 11-race Festival Preview Day card, titled $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds in 1 1/16 miles of land.
Both Suncoast and Sam F. Davis are part of a scoring system that leads to Churchill Downs in Louisville the first weekend of May, with Suncoast awarding points to the first five finishers to qualify for the May 5 Kentucky Oaks (G1) and Sam F. Davis awarding points to the five leads. to qualify for the May 6 Kentucky Derby (G1).
Scores for both races will be calculated on a 20-8-6-4-2 scale.
Mark Casse, coach of Wonder Wheel, eagerly kicks off Wonder Wheel’s second campaign at Suncoast.
“She’s ready. All systems are up and running,” Casse said of him into naughty chubby, who has not been ranked since winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) last fall at Keeneland.
As he has participated in all five of her races, jockey Tyler Gaffalione will participate. Wonder Wheel won four of those 2-year-olds, capped by wins at Keeneland in the Alcibiades Stakes (G1) and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She won the race second with a dramatic, sustained rally from early 11th, trailing Gaffalione with a three-turn victory.
Videotapes
DJ Stable’s star career earnings are $1,550,725.
Casse, who also participated in Live Oak Plantation Tape home page at Suncoast, has been excited by the Wonder Wheel’s potential since she visited his Casse Training Center in Ocala last March.
“We got her in the fall (in 2021) and broke her, and she acted like she was better than average early last year. But we really started to rave about it. her in Saratoga,” he said.
Wonder Wheel finished second there on September 4 in Spinaway Stakes (G1) to Leave No Traces , who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. But it’s the way Wonder Wheel tells her lessons that impresses her the most.
“Whatever she does, she does it with ease,” Casse said. “She just amazes me with how she trains. Most of the things that other horses have to work hard to accomplish, she’ll do it with ease. That’s usually the first sign. first (of an excellent racehorse).
“Tyler fell in love with her from the start,” Casse said. “Let’s see where she goes from here, but she’s probably the best 2-year-old I’ve ever coached.”
Casse doesn’t expect an easy time — not with Demoiselle Stakes (G2) winner Julia Shining on the roster for eight-time Eclipse Award-winning coach Todd Pletcher and Stonestreet Stable owner. Also included is locally based coach Arnaud Delacour Opus forty-two Gasparilla stake winner January 14.
Item: Sunny coast S.
Tampa . BaySaturday, February 11, 2023, Race No. 9
- STK
- 1m 40y
- dust
- $150,000
- 3 year old sister
- 16:48 (local)
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
