Todd Pletcher captured last year's renewal of Gulfstream's GIII Old Hat S. with “TDN Rising Star” Sweet Whiskey (Old Fashioned) and he looks to capture his fifth edition of the Old Hat this year with another 'Rising Star' by Old Fashioned, Fashion Alert. The George Bolton runner wired the field to graduate on debut in Belmont's Astoria S. June 14 and won Saratoga's six-furlong GIII Schuylerville S. by 1 1/2 lengths over MGISW and likely champion juvenile filly Take Charge Brandi (Giant's Causeway) July 19. The bay faded to sixth when extended to 1 1/16 miles last time for her two-turn debut in Keeneland's GI Alcibiades S. Oct. 3 and should relish the cut back in distance here. Trainer Kirk Ziadie saddles an interesting prospect in Averill Racing LLC, Silver Oak Stable and Gregory Kaufman's R Sassy Lass (Exclusive Quality). She took some time to figure things out with a third on debut against fellow Florida-breds here Aug. 16 and an eighth in this venue's Florida Sire Susan's Girl S. Sept. 27. A class drop seemed to give the dark bay the boost she needed when she earned her diploma by 9 1/2 lengths against 10,000 maiden claimers next out here Sept. 27, and she made it two-for-two last time in Tampa's six-panel Sandpiper S. Dec. 6. Unlike R Sassy Lass, Phaedrus Flights LLC's Ekati's Phaeton (Tale of Ekati) got it right from the start, opening her account with a pair of victories at this track and trip that included her Aug. 9 debut and a 10 1/4-length romp against allowance company Sept. 7. Fading to sixth in the Our Dear Peggy S. when trying turf for the first time here Oct. 4, the William Kaplan pupil was second last time in the six-panel House Party S. on the main track at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 29. “She's in great shape,” Kaplan said. “She had a good work the other day [four furlongs in :47.70 Dec. 28]. I think she'll be very close to the pace or on the pace, and hopefully she'll run good and be able to handle the jump up in class. I think she's got a lot of talent.”Mark Stanley's Temper Mint Patty (Congrats) kicked off her career with a pair of victories against New York-breds, winning her Saratoga unveiling Aug. 29 and streaking clear by 13 1/2 lengths in the Joseph A. Gimma S. over a muddy Belmont strip Sept. 21. Second next out in the state-bred Maid of the Mist S. there Oct. 18, the Dale Romans trainee finished fifth last time behind Take Charge Brandi when stepped up in class and facing open company for the first time in the GIII Delta Downs Princess S. Nov. 22. Florida specialists Eddie Plesa and Paco Lopez team up on Laurie Plesa and Vincent Rizzuto'sConcealedwithakiss (Political Force). An 11 1/4-length graduate in her Monmouth unveiling against $30,000 maiden claimers Aug. 2, she went box-to-wire next out in that venue's Sorority S. Aug. 31. The gray showed that the turf was not for her when 13th in Laurel's grassy Selima S. Sept. 27 and weakened to be third after setting the pace last time in the House Party.
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