Hot Blooded Turns on the Heat in Soldier’s Dancer

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Sonata Stable’s Lovely Luvy made a sweeping move from last to first to capture Sunday’s $65,000 Ginger Punch Stakes at Gulfstream Park, narrowly, getting the better of Big Frank Stable and Mad Dog Racing Stable’s Sugar Fix following a stretch-long battle.

Lovely Luvy ($6.80), who defeated her Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained stablemate in the Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf in January, prevailed by a half-length in the mile-and-70-yard stakes for Florida-bred fillies and mares that was transferred from turf to Tapeta. The Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf was also an off-the-turf stakes.

“Obviously, the Tapeta helps Lovely Luvy more than it helps Sugar Fix, but Sugar Fix handles it well,” Joseph said. “Coming down the lane, you’re hoping for a dead-heat.”

Sugar Fix, the 3-5 favorite, was always within striking distance while racing third along the rail behind pacesetter Tracy Ann’s Legacy, who set fractions of 24.12 and 48.68 seconds for the first half-mile. Leaving the backstretch, Junior Alvarado asked Lively Luvy for some run, and the 6-year-old daughter of He’s Had Enough responded with an eye-catching move around horses on the far turn to take the lead at the top of the stretch. Meanwhile, Edwin Gonzalez had to bide his time behind the tiring pacesetter before finding a hole along the rail. Sugar Fix kicked in gamely to challenge her stablemate but was unable to slow Lovely Luvy’s outside momentum.

Lovely Luvy ran a mile and 70 yards in 1:41.53. Sugar Fix was 1 ½ lengths ahead of third-place finisher Una Luna.

Hot Blooded Turns on the Heat in Soldier’s Dancer

Winless in 13 starts following a victory in the 2020 Proud Man, Palm Beach Racing Partnership’s Hot Blooded returned to the Gulfstream Park winner’s circle Sunday with a last-to-first victory under Miguel Vasquez.

The 4-year-old son of Declaration of War ($17.60) returned to his 2-year-old form in the mile-and-70-yard stakes for Florida-bred 3-year-olds and up that was transferred from turf to the Tapeta course.

“He won the stake as a 2-year-old. We had high expectations for him. He’s been all over. He’s been in New York, Colonial. He could win during his 3-year-old campaign. We just decided to give him a break and bring him home,” trainer Carlos David said. “We castrated him. He only had an OK 3-year-old campaign, so we said he wasn’t going to be a stallion. Coming back and running third, I knew he needed the race. I was really looking forward to this race being on the grass. There was a question about the Tapeta, but he obviously liked it. I’m very, very happy.”

Shivaree set a solid early pace while setting fractions of 23.73 and 47.73 seconds for the first half mile pressed by Alabama Slammer in a tightly bunched field. Hot Blooded saved ground in sixth on the backstretch and dropped back to last on the far turn before being swung to the outside leaving the turn into the homestretch. The Florida-bred gelding kicked in powerfully on the far outside to prevail by a half-length. Me and Mr. C finished second, a half-length ahead of Uno Tiger.

Hot Blooded ran the mile and 70 yards in 141.49.