by Jerry Shottenkirk
September 13, 2019
Vow to Recover returns to her home base for the $75,000 Miss Gracie Stakes Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
It's the feature race of the day, and as the 11th race also represents the third leg of the late Pick 4.
Vow the Recover won the Honey Ryder Stakes at Gulfstream and was 4th in the Martha Washington before taking the journey north to Saratoga, where she was 5th in the Grade 2 Lake Placid Stakes.
Trainer Elizabeth Dobles has the 3-year-old Broken Vow filly back to Hallandale Beach, where she the tepid 3-1 morning-line choice in the 7.5-furlong turf race. This is far from an easy spot. She drew the outside No. 11 post and it will be up to jockey Edgard Zayas to get her into a good position heading into the first turn.
Vow to Recover is a must-use in the Pick 4 – but not alone in leg 3. It's a good field, and Zarina and Itsmyluckycharm are worthy of inclusion. Zarina won the Martha Washington, finishing three lengths ahead of Vow to Recover. Zarina is a good closer and Leonel Reyes likely will have the Chad Stewart-trained daughter of Temple City rolling late. A third legit option in the feature is Edward Plesa, Jr. trainee Itsmyluckycharm, who has won seven of her last eight races and most recently won the Azalea Stakes. Her last two wins were on the main track, but she also was able to win a stakes race as she took the Mrs Presidents Stakes in February. She will be a strong player on the turf and she'll be a standout if it moves over to the main track due to wet grounds. Albin Jimenez has the return riding engagement.
The approach this week takes a 4x2x3x3 path for $36. The second leg features Eights and Aces and Chiseled in a solid matchup – the latter coming in off a win against similar.
Here's the suggested ticket for the late Pick 4 Saturday at Gulfstream Park:
9) #3 Our Closure, #4 Bello Porte, #6 Passion Plus, #10 Kelsey's Cross.
10) #2 Eights and Aces, #8 Chiseled.
11) #2 Zarina, #8 Itsmyluckycharm, #11 Vow to Recover.
12) #3 Sundown Kid, #5 Nanahcub, #9 Plato.
50-cent Pick 4: 3-4-6-10 with 2-8 with 2-8-11 with 3-5-9 ($36).