By Joe Bianca
Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Peter Deutsch's well-traveled multiple Grade I winner Spiced Perfection (Smiling Tiger) will make her first start at Gulfstream Park as a likely favorite and the class of Saturday's seven-furlong GII Inside Information S.
Capturing the GI La Brea S. for Brian Koriner at the end of her 3-year-old campaign, the bay was subsequently moved to Peter Miller's barn and finished a close second in Laurel's GIII Barbara Fritchie S. before scoring a hard-fought victory in the GI Madison S. Apr. 6 at Keeneland. Fourth in the GI Humana Distaff S. May 4 at Churchill, she returned to Keeneland to annex the GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. despite a miserable trip Oct. 5 and was fourth behind champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Shipped to the East Coast last out, the California-bred scored a wire-to-wire tally in the GIII Go For Wand H. Dec. 7 at Aqueduct.
Two lightly-raced 4-year-old fillies hold the most intrigue of Spiced Perfection's 11 challengers. Teresa Viola Racing Stables and St. Elias Stable's Nonna Madeline (Candy Ride {Arg]) scored impressively on debut in June of 2018 at Monmouth to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors and was second as the favorite in the GIII Schuylerville S. at Saratoga. Fifth in both the GI Spinaway S. and GI Frizette S. after that, the $130,000 Keeneland September buy was laid up for over 14 months, but came back running with a 5 3/4-length allowance success here Dec. 20 . She has drilled sharply at trainer Todd Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base in the interim, recording a pair of bullets before going five furlongs in 1:01 1/5 (3/18) Jan. 18.
Eugene Cahalan and Brent Fernung's J P's Delight (J P's Gusto) tries to stay unbeaten as she continues up the class ladder. Debuting for a $35,000 tag over this track, the Kathleen O'Connell trainee romped by 9 1/4 lengths and notched a similar blowout when dusting Florida-bred allowance foes Oct. 11 at Gulfstream West. Trying restricted stakes company in the FTBOA City of Ocala Florida Sire S. Dec. 15 at Tampa, the bay kept it rolling with a 2 3/4-length triumph.
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