When Arindel’s homebred Mythical lines up in Saturday’s Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream Park, the talented filly will be aiming to repeat a familiar pattern—bounce back from defeat with a decisive response. The $125,000 Any Limit Stakes for three-year-old fillies marks the opening feature of a 12-race program and offers Mythical the chance to rediscover the form that made her one of the most promising juveniles of last season.
The six-furlong contest, scheduled for a 12:50 p.m. ET post time, is the first of three stakes races on the card. It will be followed by the Hutcheson for three-year-olds over the same distance on the main track and the Captiva Island for older fillies and mares sprinting five furlongs on the turf.
Mythical Seeks Bounce-Back in the Any Limit Stakes
Mythical shortens back to six furlongs after finishing fifth in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) on January 31, her first defeat in four attempts at Gulfstream. That afternoon she was slow away from the gate, hurried forward to contest the early pace, and eventually faded late.
Trainer Jorge Delgado believes the effort can be forgiven.
“Last time I think she just had one of those days. Maybe she waited too long in the gate and maybe she wasn’t expecting the break to go,” Delgado said. “She didn’t have the best trip that day. But we regrouped and since then everything has gone pretty good.”
The result echoed a similar scenario during her juvenile season. After opening her career with three straight victories—including the Tremont against male rivals and the Adirondack (G3)—Mythical finished fifth in the Spinaway (G1) at Saratoga when stretching out to seven furlongs. She rebounded later in the season with a pair of dominant wins in the Florida Sire Stakes series.
Those triumphs came in the seven-furlong Susan’s Girl and the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl, both at Gulfstream, where she prevailed by a combined 15¼ lengths.
“She’s had five really good races and two OK races, so she’s doing pretty good,” Delgado said. “I think she’s going to bounce back again. She’s been training very forward. Her last few workouts have been very sharp and she’s looking like she’s going to be back.”
Her preparation since the Forward Gal has been particularly encouraging. Mythical has recorded three workouts, highlighted by a swift three-furlong move in 35.36 seconds on February 21. Edgard Zayas has the mount from Post 5.
“Sometimes when the field is small you’re kind of the target in the race,” Delgado noted. “Going six furlongs I think she’s pretty much one of the fastest fillies in the country.”
Competitive Field Lines Up
Also exiting the Forward Gal is Hollen Drive, who will break from Post 6. The filly is a half-sister to top-level performers Hot Rod Charlie and champion sprinter Mitole. Trained by Will Walden, she arrives after a two-length victory in an optional allowance over 6½ furlongs at Gulfstream on January 3. Jorge Ruiz is named to ride.
Another key contender is A Fine Chardonnay, representing Double 22 Stables. She captured the six-furlong Myrtlewood at Keeneland in October with a late rally and has been freshened since finishing third in the Fern Creek in late November. Trainer Ian Wilkes reports the filly has been training steadily at Palm Meadows ahead of her return, with Tyler Gaffalione set to take the ride.
“She didn’t run a lot last year but she did everything great,” Wilkes said. “She broke her maiden first time out and then won the stakes at Keeneland. After that she ran a good third to a filly that came back and won a graded race. She had a good year, so we just freshened her up.”
Sweet Ember, trained by Eddie Plesa Jr., enters the race after back-to-back victories. The daughter of Mitole impressed most recently when drawing clear by 9½ lengths in a six-furlong allowance against Florida-bred rivals. Jose Morelos retains the mount.
“We’ll look the race over,” Plesa said. “I’m sure we’re stepping up in company, but we’ll see what happens. She’s training great and doing well.”
Rounding out the field are Tizasweetlady, who arrives off an all-weather allowance success in late January, and Dee’s On Dow, a stablemate to Mythical.
Race Heritage
The race itself carries a notable legacy. Any Limit, the accomplished mare for whom the stakes is named, was trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Allen Jerkens and campaigned by owner-breeder Joseph Shields Jr. During her career she captured five graded stakes, including the Hurricane Bertie (G3) twice and the First Lady Handicap (G3), both at Gulfstream Park.
For Mythical and her connections, Saturday’s Any Limit Stakes represents not only a chance to return to winning ways but also an opportunity to reaffirm her standing among the leading three-year-old sprint fillies of the season.
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