Las Vegas, NV – Gulfstream Park in beautiful Hallandale Beach, Florida will play host to the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes this Sunday, February 9. Fillies and mares four years old and upward will take to Gulfstream’s main track and sprint 6.5 furlongs looking for the winner’s portion of the $200,000 purse.
Seven older females will line up in the Hurricane Bertie – race 4 on Gulfstream’s Sunday card. Post time is 2:03 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all seven combatants for this Grade 3 stakes – six of which will be likely be looking at the back end of Groupie Doll in her final race ever.
Groupie Doll – reigning two time Eclipse Award winner for Female placed in all nine of her 2012 starts – three Grade 1 scored and wins in two Grade 2 Stakes. She started 2013 with an OK third in the Grade 3 Gardenia at Ellis Park August 10 and then went on to win the Grade 2 Presque Isle Downs Masters September 9. She had an OK third in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes at Keeneland October 5 but bounced back on the biggest with a repeat win in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Last time out was an uncharacteristic fourth – in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile after a rough trip at Aqueduct November 30 – the only race she hasn’t place in since November 2011! Groupie Doll will be looking to end her career on a high at a distance she is undefeated and will leave from the rail with regular rider Rajiv Maragh in the irons as the one to catch Sunday.
Wildcat Lily – raced 14 times in 2013 and is coming off her worst performance of the year – a sixth in the minor Musical Romance Stakes here back on September 21 after a good second in the Grade 1 Test Stakes in August, a second in the Grade 1 Prioress Stakes July 27 and her biggest victory to date – in the Grade 3 Azalea Stakes at Calder July 6. She enters this weekend with four wins and four seconds in her last nine starts with hopes of avenging her poor sixth last time out.
Jamaican Smoke – has eight career starts with two wins, a second and four third place finishes. The wins came in an Allowance at Churchill Downs on May 25 which followed a MSW score at Keeneland on April 19, 2012. She was a very impressive second in the Grade 3 Victory Ride Stakes at Belmont Park in July, 2012 and then endured an eight month layoff. Jamaican Smoke returned in March 2013 and has finished third in three of her four starts since – an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out January 4 on this track, in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes at Keeneland in April and in an Allowance Optional Claiming here in March. Sandwiched in there is a fourth in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs in May.
Hurricane Bertie Stakes betting at Gulfstream Park with OffTrackBetting.com
Five Star Momma – has just one graded stakes start and that came in her second career effort. She finished second in that race – the Grade 3 Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs in June, 2011. She enters this weekend in career best form – three wins in her last four starts including two minor stakes scores – the Chip Stakes at Aqueduct November 6 and the Lady in Waiting Stakes at Penn National three weeks later. Last time out was a second in the minor Willa On the Move Stakes at Laurel Park December 28. Five Star Momma has 17 career starts with five wins, four seconds and two third place finishes.
Heart Stealer – Martin Wolfson trained filly won her graded stakes debut last time out – the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl on this track December 14 after a second in her stakes debut – the Bold World Handicap at Calder November 2. Heart Stealer has three wins, two seconds and a third place finish and has two wins and a second in her last three starts. She served notice last time out that she is a threat, no matter the level of competition. She has won both her starts on this track since switching barns and will look to keep the roll going Sunday
My Due Process – Carlo Vaccarezza trained mare will race in graded stakes company for the first time since a sixth in the Grade 3 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs in May 2012. She has placed in just one of seven starts since – a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track back in March. Last time out was a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here January 16 after eight months away and an eighth in the minor Unbridled Sidney Stakes at Churchill Downs in May. My Due Process has three wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 18 career starts and enters in less-than-spectacular form.
Distortion – Nicholas Zito trained mare will race in stakes company for the first time after seven career starts yielded a win and two second place finishes – all of those results coming in her last three starts. Last time out was a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park way back in June after she broke maiden in May and finished second in another MSW in April. She steps up in competition in her first start in six months Sunday.
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