Jacks or Better Farm Dominates the Florida Stallion Stakes at Calder

by Horstradamus

posted on August 10, 2011 in Breeders Cup, Horse Racing, News | 2 Comments >>

Calder Race Course in sunny Miami is one of my favorite racecourses to visit and bet on.  Although it is often overlooked due to its mostly summer (hot weather) racing dates and lower class racing than Gulfstream Park in nearby Hallendale Beach, Calder has a great 2-year-old program, especially for offspring of Florida stallions.Calder Race Course

The highlight of the Calder 2-year-old program is the Florida Stallion Stakes which are a series of 3 races at increasing distances for both fillies and colts.  Any offspring of a nominated Florida stallion is eligible to participate and the vast majority of horses entered are foaled in Ocala, the horse capital of Florida.

Two-year-old filly divisions:

  • Desert Vixen Stakes – 6 furlongs in August
  • Susan’s Girl Stakes – 7 furlongs in September
  • My Dear Girl Stakes – 8.5 furlongs (11/16 miles) in October

Two-year-old male divisions:

  • Dr. Fager Stakes – 6 furlongs in August
  • Affirmed Stakes – 7 furlongs in September
  • In Reality Stakes – 8.5 furlongs (11/16 miles) in October

The first legs of the filly and male divisions were run last Saturday with great results for horses from Jacks or Better Farm, owned by Fred Brei and trained by Stanley Gold.

In the Dr. Fager Stakes, Fort Loundon crossed the wire first as a 10-1 longshot despite coming into the race of a 10 length win on July 16 to break his maiden.  Though it’s hard to tell how this colt will do at ever increasing lengths down the line, he looked great sweeping five wide into the stretch running past fellow rivals including fellow stablemate Argentine Tango.  Fort Loundon’s finishing time was 1:13 2/5 for six furlongs on a sloppy, sealed dirt track.  He paid $22.80, $10.60 and $6.40 to his backers.

Team Gold and Brei were back in the winner’s circle to meet their top 2-year-old filly Redbud Road, who survived an inquiry to win the Desert Vixon Stakes.  While she did drift out at the top of the lane, the stewards ruled in her favor as it did not affect the order of finish.

Last year another 2-year-old filly from Jacks or Better farm swept the filly division of the Florida Stallion Stakes named Awesome Feather.  Her amazing performances at Calder were the subject of debate by horseplayers, until she demolished her competition in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies division at Churchill Downs.  Unfortunately while she suffered a career ending leg injury in training after that race, she did go out an Eclipse Award winner.

The quality of horses that comes out of Jacks or Better farm, which only produces 14 – 16 foals each year, is simply amazing.  For a walk down memory lane take a minute to relive Awesome Feather’s Breeders’ Cup victory last year.