Arindel Farm’s 5-year-old Argentine-bred mare Safari Queen could end up favored against eight rival fillies and mares entered in Sunday’s $100,000 The Very One Handicap (G3) going 1 3/8 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park.

The Very One will share the spotlight on the Sunday program with the $100,000 Gaily Gaily Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles on turf with Frank Calabrese’s 2006 Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly Dreaming of Anna bidding to get back on the winning track after a disappointing third-place finish in the Old Hat Stakes (G3) here two weeks ago.

Jockey John R. Velazquez rides Safari Queen for trainer Todd Plercher as she goes for a third consecutive Graded stakes victory in The Very One. The chestnut daughter of Lode won the Long Island Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct on Nov. 4 and the La Prevoyante Handicap (G2) at Calder last out on Dec. 16, both races contested at 1 ½ miles, but the latter was forced off the turf to a ‘sloppy’ main track.

Safari Queen’s most formidable rival in Sunday’s race would appear to be Monceaux Stable’s 5-year-old German-bred mare Royal Highness, who fell just a half-length short of catching Safari Queen when second in the Long Island in her last appearance and will have plenty of support to reverse that result in Sunday’s race.

Jockey Edgar Prado gets the call on Royal Highness for trainer Christophe Clement. The daughter of Monsun raced with distinction in France through September, finishing third in the Prix Vermeille (G1) at Longchamp in September then finished a very respectable third behind English Channel in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1) at Belmont Park before the Long Island.

Completing the field for the The Very One are Susan and Dan Wiginton’s Moon Berry, Manoel Cruz; Freddy Nossar’s Baleriana, Eduardo Nunez; Gary Tanaka’s Barancella, Javier Castellano; Cynthia Knight’s Bend a Little, Rene Douglas; Stonerside Stable’s Jinni, Cornelio Velasquez; Katsumi Yoshida’s Cursora, Kent Desormeaux; and John Goodman’s Marchonin, Mark Guidry.

In the Gaily Gaily, regular rider Rene Douglas retains the mount on Dreaming of Anna for trainer Wayne Catalano. The homebred daughter of Rahy swept all four of her starts last year, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 4. She dropped back to 6 1/2 furlongs for the Old Hat and tired in the stretch after prompting the pace for a half-mile.

Dreaming of Anna was produced by Calabrese’s mare Justenuffheart, a stakes-winner on turf and Dreaming of Anna won two of her last three starts before the Breeders’ Cup on grass – the Tippett Stakes sprinting at Colonial Downs and the Summer Stakes (G2) going a mile against male rivals at Woodbine in September.

Dreaming of Anna faces a highly-accomplished two-time turf stakes-winner in the Gaily Gaily in Richlyn Farm’s Pay Wright to be ridden by Edgar Prado for trainer George Weaver. The daughter of French Envoy scored wire-to-wire victories in the Salem County Stakes at Meadowlands in early October and the John Franks Juvenile Fillies Turf last out at Calder on Nov. 11.

The Pletcher stable has a solid contender in this race as well with Team Valor Stable’s Audacious Chloe and jockey John Velazquez. A $300,000 Saratoga yearling purchase, the daughter of More Than Ready won the Junior Champion Stakes at Monmouth Park in August with Pay Wright third, and just missed last out losing a neck decision when second in the Jessamine County at Keeneland on Oct. 26.

Completing the field of nine drawn for the Gaily Gaily are J D Farm’s Dantrelle Light, G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.’s Communique, Roberto Arango’s Suaveness, Namcook Stable’s Fanlight Fanny, David Hutson’s Bishop Estates and Sarum Farm’s Gatorize.

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For more information, contact Mike Mullaney, phone: 954-457-6451 or try Mike.Mullaney@gulfstreampark.com