Take Charge Paula seeks graded triumph in Forward Gal

Feb 01, 2018 Jennifer Caldwell/Brisnet.com

Multiple stakes winner Take Charge Paula highlights a field of eight entered in Saturday’s $200,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

The seven-furlong contest is part of the Road to the Kentucky Oaks series of points races. It’s worth 10-4-2-1 points to the respective top four runners.

Take Charge Paula will do her best to claim the winner’s share of those points for new trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. The dark bay miss was privately purchased by Peter Deutsch after her half-length victory in the House Party Stakes over a sloppy, sealed track at Gulfstream on December 9 and transferred from trainer Kelly Breen to McLaughlin.

The Take Charge Indy filly earned a 97 BRIS Speed rating for her most recent effort, and brings a two-race win streak into the Forward Gal, having also won the Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel Park in mid-November. Paco Lopez has been aboard for all but one of the Kentucky-bred’s races and retains the mount here.

Miss Mo Mentum also captured her last pair of starts, recording an 8 3/4-length score in the December 9 Hut Hut Stakes at Gulfstream on a sloppy, sealed track and a 3 3/4-length victory in an off-the-turf Churchill Downs allowance a month earlier. The Mark Casse trainee has been bouncing back and forth between turf and the main track, and keeps Tyler Gaffalione in the irons for the Forward Gal.

In six career starts thus far, Sultry has either won or finished sixth. Her last two efforts saw the Eddie Kenneally pupil score in the Spendthrift Juvenile Filly Stallion Stakes and fill the sixth spot in the Golden Rod Stakes (G2), both at Churchill Downs.

Foxtrot Sally hasn’t factored in three previous tries against stakes rivals, but gives it another go here off a third-place run in the Glitter Woman Stakes on January 6 over the track. Morning Destiny also ran in the Glitter Woman, finishing a neck behind the winner but 2 1/2 lengths up on Foxtrot Sally. It was her second start since breaking her maiden by 5 1/4 lengths and finishing sixth in the House Party behind Take Charge Paula.

My Miss Lilly, Violent Times and Heavenhasmynikki are all putting perfect marks on the line in Saturday’s contest. The former two took their maiden debuts last out, with My Miss Lilly posting a 2 1/2-length triumph at Aqueduct on December 23 and Violent Times romping by four lengths at Gulfstream on Christmas Eve. Heavenhasmynikki also captured her initial outing last October at Mahoning Valley by 5 1/4 lengths, and returned January 15 to take a Gulfstream allowance/optional claimer by a head.