Joseph Seeks Continued Success Closer to Home Saturday

Doubles Up in Game Face and Powder Break Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who enjoyed a career day Monday in Southern California, will seek continued success closer to home Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where he will be represented by a pair of horses in each of Saturday’s featured stakes.

Gulfstream’s leading trainer entered C2 Racing Stable LLC, Kuhne Racing and Mark Corrado’s Andrea and Steven Friedfertig and Shining Stable’s Luvumorgan in the $75,000 Game Face, as well as Gentry Farms’ Candy Gray and Golden Kernal Racing Stable’s Lady Cha Cha in the $75,000 Powder Break.

Be Your Best, who captured the Gamely (G1), and Skippylongstocking, who won the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2), provided Joseph his first winners in Southern California back-to-back on Santa Anita’s Memorial Day program. While they were regarded as top contenders in their respective stakes starts, Joseph’s four runners Saturday will need to step up to find the Gulfstream winner’s circle.

Andrea is scheduled to make her second start off a three-month freshening in the Game Face, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies. The daughter of Thousand Words took a break from stakes company to score a convincing nine-length victory in a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance at Tampa Bay Downs April 2.

“She started promising and then she went the wrong way. We had to freshen her, and she ran well,” Joseph said. “This will be a little harder, but if she runs her ‘A’ Game, she’ll be competitive.”

Cipriano Gil has the return mount aboard Andrea, who is rated second on the morning line at 2-1 in a seven-filly field.

Luvumorgan, with only two starts to her credit, brings considerably less experience in the Game Face. The daughter of Union Rags graduated in her most recent start with a three-length victory at 1 1/16 miles March 30.

“She ran long. I think distance would be better for her, but this is a stake, and we’d like to get some black type for her,” Joseph said.

Leading rider Edgard Zayas has the call on the homebred filly.

Amy Dunne and trainer Patrick Biancone’s Unchained Elaine stands in the way of the Joseph runners. The daughter of American Pharoah, the most stakes-experienced filly in the field, is coming off a two-length triumph in the seven-furlong Any Limit at Gulfstream March 16.

“We were supposed to run on Oaks Day at Churchill. She didn’t travel well. She had a mild cholic and we had to cancel that,” Biancone said. “She came back and she’s training well for this race.”

Favored at 9-5 on the morning line, Unchained Elaine will be ridden by Jonathan Ocasio.

Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston’s Win N Your In, who won last year’s Florida Sire Stakes Susan’s Girl, returned to winning form March 30 in the seven-furlong Sophomore Fillies at Tampa Bay Downs.

Trainer Carlos David named Miguel Vasquez to ride the filly who is 7-2 on the morning line.

Porta Pia Stables’ Nerazurri, Ed Orr and Susie Orr and Olga Amalfitana’s Costa Amalfitana round out the field.

The co-featured Powder Break, a mile turf stakes for fillies and mares, drew a highly competitive field headed by Orlyana Farm’s Majestic Venezuela, the Victor Barboza-trained 7-2 morning-line favorite who is a stakes winner at a mile on turf under returning Emisael Jaramillo.

Candy Gray, who finished second behind Majestic Venezuela in the Miss Gracie last year, is winless in two starts this year.

“They were below par,” Joseph said. “We think a lot of her, but she hasn’t delivered yet. Hopefully, she runs her best. If she runs her race, she’ll be competitive.”

Edgard Zayas has the call board the Joseph-trained daughter of Twirling Candy, who is rated at 8-1 on the morning line.

Lady Cha Cha, also 8-1, has placed in her three starts since joining Joseph’s stable, including a runner-up finish in the Distaff Turf last out at Tampa Bay Downs.

Rajiv Maragh has been named to ride.

Trainer Antonio Sano will be represented by Stonehaven Steading’s De Regreso, a multiple-stakes winner who is rated second on the line at 4-1, and Tami Bobo’s Sensitivity, who was set at 5-1 on the line.

Gary Barber, Rocky Top Stable and LEMB Stable’s Dancing N Dixie, Flying Finish Farm Inc.’s Let’s Go Koko, Starship Stables’ Starship Agenda, RAF Productions’ Fantasy Performer, R M 18 Stable LLC’s Tape Runner and Dave McGinn’s Chick’s Shadow round out the field.