Stablemates Haulin Ice, Claret Beret Top $75,000 Sheer Drama

Starship Impulsive Chasing Fourth Straight Win in Frolic’s Revenge

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – C2 Racing Stable, Paul Braverman, Miller Racing and Timothy Pinch’s Grade 3 heroine Haulin Ice, riding a four-race win streak, will draw plenty of attention in her quest to make it five straight against eight rivals including Grade 2-placed stablemate Claret Beret in Saturday’s $75,000 Sheer Drama Handicap at Gulfstream Park.

The Sheer Drama for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting seven furlongs on the main track headlines an 11-race program that includes the $70,000 Frolic’s Revenge overnight handicap for fillies and mares 3 and older scheduled for one mile on the turf.

First race post time is 12:50 p.m.

A 4-year-old Arkansas-bred daughter of Coal Front, Haulin Ice is a standout among the group with nine wins, five in stakes, and $828,900 in purse earnings from 15 starts. She has won by more than 14 ¼ combined lengths during her current streak, ranging from a neck decision in the May 4 Vagrancy (G3) at Aqueduct to a six-length romp against state-breds March 1 at Oaklawn Park.

Each of Haulin Ice’s last four wins have come in front-running fashion, most recently registering a popular 3 ¼-length triumph in the 6 ½-furlong Musical Romance June 22 at Gulfstream. She missed a projected start in the Honorable Miss (G2) July 20 at Saratoga and has been working toward her return since mid-July at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

Royal Palm Meet leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. is hoping to use the Sheer Drama as a springboard to Gulfstream’s $200,000 Princess Rooney (G2) Sept. 20, a ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Joseph swept both races last year with eventual champion Soul of an Angel.

Edgard Zayas, up for the Musical Romance, has the call from Post 7 at topweight of 127 pounds, giving up from three to 12 pounds. Joseph noted that Thorpedo Anna carried no more than 126 pounds during her 2024 Horse of the Year campaign.

“Haulin Ice goes in there a deserving favorite. This is a prep for the Princess Rooney,” Joseph said. “They [gave her] 127 pounds, a weight never even given to Thorpedo Anna. We will be sportsmanlike and take our chance.”

Rated at 9-5, Haulin Ice is second choice on the morning line behind Miller Racing’s Claret Beret (7-5). A five-time winner from 13 races, Claret Beret will be making her third start since joining Joseph in the spring. She won the one-mile Mo Green overnight handicap May 11 at Gulfstream by 19 ¾ lengths, then was beaten less than a length when second to Grade 1-winning millionaire Vahva in the seven-furlong Chicago (G2) June 21 at Churchill Downs.

Claret Beret drew Post 2 with Micah Husbands, aboard in the Chicago, getting the return assignment.

“Claret Beret will also go there with top form,” Joseph said. “The decision to run her was based on Haulin Ice being handicapped to be beaten. She’s in top form and she will be a top contender.”

Whisper Hill Farm homebred Rumours Have It is given the best chance to upset the top pair, rated at 7-2 on the morning line. By Tapit out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Songbird, the regally bred 4-year-old filly exits a front-running 10 ¼-length optional claiming allowance romp going 6 ½ furlongs on a sealed, sloppy main track July 4 at Gulfstream.

“I can’t say we expected her to run off the screen like that. When you look at the fractions you’re thinking, ‘When are they going to catch up to her? When is she going to start spinning her wheels?’ They didn’t, and she just kept going,” trainer Kent Sweezey said. “Fillies can be funny. When they get into a good rhythm, a good groove, then sometimes they can freak like that.”

Jose Morelos returns to ride from outermost Post 9.

Vincey Girl and Gallop d’Hermes, respectively second and fourth in the Musical Romance; July 12 Azalea runner-up Nerazurri; Puckered and last-out winners Poiema and Royal Poppy complete the field.

Starship Impulsive Seeks to Extend Streak in $70,000 Frolic’s Revenge

Starship Stables’ Starship Impulsive, just hitting her stride as a 3-year-old filly, chases a fourth consecutive win and third straight against stakes company in the $70,000 Frolic’s Revenge.

A $50,000 daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Improbable, Starship Impulsive has made six of her seven career starts this year, four of them wins, including the one-mile Honey Ryder May 3 and 1 1/16-mile Martha Washington June 7 over the Gulfstream turf.

“She’s feeling good [and] she’s training good,” trainer Steve Dwoskin said. “She’s just matured. She knows what the game is now, and she likes it. She likes to get out there and dares them to come after her.”

Starship Impulsive has never been headed during her streak, winning by a combined 8 ½ lengths. Her last race was her most impressive, drawing off to score by 4 ½ lengths as the even-money favorite over seven rivals.

All of Starship Impulsive’s recent wins have come under jockey Leonel Reyes, who returns to ride from Post 2 in another field of eight. Among the competitors is Rory Miller-trained Lets Go Koko, a nine-time winner whose two most recent have also come on the front end including a half-length triumph in the one-mile Powder Break May 31 on the Gulfstream turf.

“I don’t want to get in a speed duel, so we’ll see what [Miller] does with his horse. [Reyes] will decide to either sit right behind her or let her sit right behind us,” Dwoskin said. “She is just getting better every time we run her. Her numbers are better. We’ve just been very impressed with her and hopefully she keeps on going up the ladder.”

Dwoskin also entered Starship Stables’ Starship Agenda, a 5-year-old mare who comes from off the pace and has gone unraced since finishing third by a half-length to Lets Go Koko in the Powder Break.

“She’s got a different running style,” he said. “There’s no real place to put her other than this race, and if it comes off the turf then it’ll be all right. She likes the Tapeta also.”

Wallace Moore Jr.’s Ashima had a six-race win streak snapped when second to Lets Go Koko in a one-mile, 70-yard optional claiming allowance June 26 on the all-weather Tapeta. The 4-year-old filly rebounded with a decisive 6 ¼-length triumph July 18 going 1 1/16 miles for her ninth win from 17 starts that includes the Jan. 11 Sunshine Filly & Mare Turf against fellow Florida-breds.

“She’s fit, she’s ready to run [and] holding her weight. Thank God the legs and everything are OK,” trainer Sal Santoro said. “We’re set. We’re just biding our time between now and Saturday.”

Also entered are multiple stakes winner Charlie’s Wish; Oshala, a winner of four of five lifetime starts; and stakes-placed Crafty Collector and Sensitivity.