Liberty Rings Takes on Boys in Saturday’s Hollywood Beach

Filly Stakes Winner on Turf and Dirt Favored for 5F Turf Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Turf. Dirt. It hasn’t mattered to Teresa and David Palmer’s Liberty Rings thus far in the 2-year-old daughter of Awesome Slew’s young career.

The Palmers’ precocious homebred has won two stakes from four starts, her first on turf, her second on dirt. Saturday, she is scheduled to return to grass for the $100,000 Hollywood Beach, a five-furlong stakes in which she will take on the boys.

“She’s been training phenomenally. I’m really looking forward to the race,” said trainer Nick Palmer, the son of Liberty Rings’ owners.

Liberty Rings, who has been installed as Saturday’s 3-1 morning-line favorite, finished a close-up third following a wide trip in her April 16 debut in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight against the boys on Gulfstream’s main track. She came back to register a 1 1/4-length front-running triumph over Gulfstream’s turf course May 9 in the five-furlong Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, earning a berth in one of six stakes during June’s Royal Ascot meeting in Great Britain. Fearing she wasn’t ready for such an international adventure, Palmer turned down the opportunity.

He did try shipping Liberty Rings to Churchill Downs for a start in the June 29 Debutante, a six-furlong stakes on dirt, but she didn’t handle that ship well and went on to finish seventh following a bad start and a rough trip. Back home, the Florida-bred filly rebounded to capture the six-furlong Scandalous Act Aug. 8 by two lengths on dirt after stalking the pace and kicking in through the stretch.

“I do see her maturing. Her last breeze was very, very impressive. That’s when I decided to run,” Palmer said.

Liberty Rings has demonstrated rare versatility at such a young age, but does she have a preferred surface?

“That’s a good question,” Palmer said through a grin. “I’m still figuring her out. Deep down in my heart, I think she’s a two-turn turf horse. I hope to get to try that with her one day.”

Miguel Vasquez, who has been aboard Liberty Rings for all four of her races, has the return call Saturday.

Unplaced in his two starts on dirt, Champion Equine LLC’s Road to Midnight graduated in his turf debut by 6 1/2 lengths second time out. The David Braddy-trained son of Roadster, who finished far back in the In Summation last time out on dirt, is priced at 7-2 on the morning line for his return to turf under leading rider Diego Herrera.

Alwaleed Thamer Alosaimi International Stables’ Riyadh Way, rated third at 4-1 on the morning line, is scheduled to make his stakes debut in the Hollywood Beach after rolling to a 4 1/4-length victory on turf with the addition of blinkers in his stakes debut second time out at Gulfstream.

“That was a bit of a surprise,” trainer Tareq Moubarak said.

The Kentucky-bred Karakontie gelding had finished an even fourth on dirt in his June 13 debut at five furlongs.

“He’s grown up and matured after his last race,” said Moubarak, who has awarded the return mount to Heriberto Figueroa.

Peter Vegso’s Lord Henry cuts back to one turn Saturday after breaking his maiden in his second start Aug. 10 at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf.

“I think he wants to go longer. I think there’s one coming up at the end of October that this race will prepare him for,” trainer Joe Orseno said.

The gelded son of Temple City, who is rated at 6-1 on the morning line, had finished a distant second behind Road to Midnight in his July 13 debut at five furlongs under a returning Edwin Gonzalez.

Lord Henry has breezed sharply over Gulfstream’s all-weather Tapeta course in preparation for the Hollywood Beach.

“I tried to put some speed into him,” Orseno said. “He’s handled everything I’ve asked him to do. He’s training great. There’s a lot of speed in the race. He’s got talent, but I think when he stretches out around two turns, you’ll see the best of him.”

Daniel Alonso’s Ford Roadster, back from a layoff of almost five months since breaking his maiden in the 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight in which Liberty Rings finished third; Dream With Me Florida’s Expectations, a Patrick Biancone-trained filly who is coming off a runner-up finish in her debut on Tapeta; Osiris Racing Stable’s King Cousin B., who graduated last time out at five furlongs on turf; and Angel Rodriguez’s Sir Angelus, slated to make his turf debut after graduating on dirt in his second start, round out the field.