Spirited Boss Tests Win Streak in $80,000 Honey Ryder

Tops Field of Eight in One-Mile Turf Test for 3YO Fillies

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – TAG Stables’ Florida homebred Spirited Boss, who sprung a 12-1 upset in her turf and stakes debut last month, puts her win streak on the line when she chases a fourth straight victory in Saturday’s $80,000 Honey Ryder at Gulfstream Park.

The Honey Ryder for 3-year-old fillies shares top billing on an 11-race program with the $80,000 English Channel for 3-year-olds, both scheduled at one mile on the grass. Post time is 12:50 p.m.

A chestnut daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Street Boss, who himself never raced on grass, Spirited Boss is out of the Stormy Atlantic mare Spirited Storm and a half-sister to Uncaptured Spirit, who was third in the 2022 Penn Mile (G2) on the Penn National turf.

Spirited Boss made her first three starts on Gulfstream’s all-weather Tapeta, including around two turns in a one-mile, 70-yard state-bred allowance Feb. 21, before cutting back to 7 ½ furlongs in the March 29 Sanibel Island on the undercard of the $1 million Curlin Florida Derby (G1).

“She’s a filly that we’ve always been looking to run her on the grass,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said. “That’s why we tried last time on the grass, and I was very confident with her because I know she won on the Tapeta before. She worked good on the Tapeta and the dirt but the way that she moves on the grass is different, very good. That’s why we ran last time in the stakes and why we’ll try again Saturday.”

Unlike her two previous wins, accomplished on or near the lead, Spirited Boss came from off the pace under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano to secure a half-length triumph over Candy Quest in the Sanibel Island, with stakes winner and Grade 3-placed Civetta third. In fourth was Classic Q, who ran fourth by a half-length in the one-mile Herecomesthebride (G3).

“I think she when she won wire to wire the first two times, the field was different. Last time was one of the tougher fields in the country on the grass for the straight 3-year-old fillies,” D’Angelo said. “I told Javier to try to keep her behind the speed and make her move on the turn for home and Javier did perfect.”

Spirited Boss, who didn’t make her race debut until December of her 2-year-old season, drew Post 2 in a field of eight and will be ridden by Edgar Perez.

“I got her a little late but she’s gifted. She’s improving every week. She started running during the Championship Meet and I’m very proud of her. She has improved so fast,” D’Angelo said. “I think we don’t have to be on the lead. It’s better to be second or third then have her make the move and finish strong.”

D’Angelo also entered Anlee Armstrong Bishop and Marie Hinkson’s Sheshimaintenance, a homebred daughter of Grade 2 winner and Grade 1-placed Instagrand that graduated in a 7 ½-furlong maiden claimer Feb. 14 and was most recently third by 1 ½ lengths in a one-mile starter optional claimer April 3, both on turf.

“She’s a filly that needs the grass,” D’Angelo said. “I know she comes from an easier race in the starter but she’s doing good and she’s improved a little bit. I think she has a chance in there.”

Miguel Vasquez is named to ride from Post 7.

The other stakes winner in the field is Special Aviators, Span Investments Inc. and trainer Rohan Crichton’s Special Aviator, who captured the one-mile Our Dear Peggy last October on the Gulfstream turf in her second start. She has gone winless in four subsequent tries, two each on grass and synthetic, beaten a head last out going a mile and 70 yards on the all-weather Tapeta April 10.

Prior to that start, Special Aviator finished a distant ninth in the Herecomesthebride behind Grade 1-placed Vixen. Two starts prior, she was 10th to multiple graded-stakes winner Nitrogen in the Jan. 4 Ginger Brew, also at a mile on the grass.

“She won the stake on the grass in the fall but in the first of that series of grass stakes of the Championship Meet she didn’t run a good race. We kind of backed off of her and then she came back and ran two decent races,” Crichton said. “On paper she hasn’t been running as well on the turf as we originally thought she would, but she might have had a real excuse in her last turf race.

“I think she had a legitimate excuse in her last turf race. She just didn’t seem to be comfortable and seemed to be a little bit off her feet, and now she’s in a completely different frame of mind,” he added. “We’re kind of on the fence. We’re going to make a decision whether or not we re-enter for a Tapeta allowance race next week or stay where we are.”

Edwin Gonzalez gets the riding assignment from Post 5.

Starship Impulsive, a front-running winner going 1 1/16 miles on the grass April 5; Curlaine, who graduated by a nose in a one-mile maiden special weight on the Tampa Bay Downs turf March 19; It’s Witchcraft, third in the Our Dear Peggy; Irish-bred Origami, third in the Cecil B. DeMille (G3) Dec. 1 at Del Mar in her North American debut; and Annie Goodbody, ninth in the Sanibel Island, complete the field.