Gulfstream: Undefeated Lenzi’s Lucky Lady Favored for $200,000 Susan’s Girl

By David Joseph —-

Undefeated Lenzi’s Lucky Lady Favored for $200,000 Susan’s Girl

O’Connell Trainee Set for Second Leg of Florida Sire Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Stonehedge LLC’s Lenzi’s Lucky Lady is scheduled to put her undefeated record on the line in Saturday’s $200,000 Susan’s Girl Division of the second leg of the 2019 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes series.

The Susan Girl, a seven-furlong sprint for fillies, will co-headline Saturday’s program, with the $200,000 Affirmed, a seven-furlong sprint for colts and geldings. Both races are restricted to 2-year-olds sired by accredited Florida stallions.

Lenzi’s Lucky Lady captured the first leg of the filly division, scoring a 4 ¼-length victory in the $100,000 Desert Vixen at six furlongs Aug. 3. The homebred daughter of With Distinction had previously won the June 28 Golden Isles Stakes by 5 ¼ lengths following her debut victory June 6 by a half-length.

“She comes from a really good family, and she has a lot of talent,” Trainer Kathleen O’Connell said.

The homebred filly is out of Blue Eyed Sweetie, an O’Connell-trained multiple-stakes winner whose dam, Brown Eyed Woman, produced 2013 FSS Affirmed winner My Brown Eyed Guy.

Jairo Rendon, who has been aboard Lenzi’s Lucky Lady for all three victories, has the return mount Saturday on the morning-line favorite.

Lenzi’s Lucky Lady gave O’Connell and Gil Campbell’s Stonehedge their 10th successes in the Florida Sire Stakes series. They teamed for Susan’s Girl victories with Scandalous Act (2013) and Ivanavinalot (2002).

Stonehedge and O’Connell will also be represented in the Susan’s Girl by Marrens Marvel, a homebred daughter of With Distinction, who finished eighth in the Desert Vixen.

“She got bounced around four times at the start and got cut up. She was on antibiotics for days,” O’Connell said. “I’m running her back because I think she deserves a second chance and I think the extra distance will help her.”

Prior to her rough trip in the Desert Vixen, Marrens Marvel captured her May 11 debut by a neck with a late rally. Jeffrey Sanchez has the mount.

Gary Barber’s Two Sixty will seek to improve on a third-place finish behind Lenzi’s Lucky Lady in the first leg of the Florida Sire Stakes Saturday. The daughter of Uncaptured encountered bumping at the start of the Desert Vixen, raced close to the pace between horses and flattened out in the stretch to finish 11 ¼ lengths behind the winner.

The $260,000 purchase at the 2019 OBS March sale had previously scored an impressive debut victory, in which the Mark Casse-trained filly pressed the pace before drawing off to win by four lengths under Edgard Zayas, who will be aboard Saturday.

Casse will also be represented by Gabe Grossberg’s Dienda in the Susan’s Girl. The daughter of Kantharos is coming off an impressive front-running score by 2 ½ lengths July 21. Dienda had finished second in her first two starts, including a narrow loss to Marrens Marvel first time out. Emisael Jaramillo has the return mount.

Amalio Ruiz-Lozano’s Ceci Valentina is another Susan’s Girl entrant with a strong last-out maiden victory to her credit, The Angel Rodriguez-trained daughter of Prospective, who finished third in her debut, graduated Aug. 3 with an off-the-pace victory by two lengths under returning Marcos Meneses.

All Together Stable and Gary Andrew Grant’s Bahamian Girl and Alex and JoAnn Lieblong’s Ms Big Spring, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Desert Vixen, are set for a return to Florida Sire Stakes action.

Anna Varsi-trained Bahamian Girl, who finished third behind Lenzi’s Lucky Lady in the Golden Isles, encountered bumping and an extremely wide trip in the Desert Vixen. Luca Panici has the return mount.

David Fawkes-trained Ms Big Spring, who broke her maiden by more than 10 lengths in her second career start, was fractious behind the gate before the start of the Desert Vixen and was a pace factor between horses before faltering in the stretch. Miguel Vasquez has the call aboard the daughter of The Big Beast.

Arindel will be represented by three homebred fillies, all daughters of Brethren, in the Susan’s Girl – Key Biscayne, Rain and Tara. Key Biscayne is coming off a second-place finish on turf; Rain broke her maiden for a $35,000 claiming tag in her fourth start; and Tara finished second behind Ceci Valentina last time out. Juan Alvarado trains all three.

William Stiritz’s Awesome Indra, who finished second behind impressive debut winner Sound Machine last time out, rounds out the field. Scott Becker trains the daughter of Awesome of Course.

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry. For more information contact David Joseph at david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com or call 954.457.6451.