Article - Gemswick Park Wears the Old Hat

January 5, 2009
Laura Ross

If the Old Hat Stakes run at Gulfstream Park this past Sunday is any indication of future racing in the coming year, we're
in for an edge of the seat, nail biting good time.

Little Elusive Heat, a darker image of her feisty mother, Xtra Heat, immediately took the lead. Frolic's Dream, the pretty
gray filly, was tracking on the inside in second while the big chestnut, Gemswick Park, tracked just outside of her in
third. Three lengths back, Casanova Move and the rest were scrambling to keep up.

After a lively quarter in 22 seconds, John Velazquez wisely sent the big chestnut, Gemswick Park, after Elusive Heat
and the two were head around the turn while Frolic's Dream got a little breather two lengths back in third. Casanova Move
and the rest were still scrambling to keep up four plus lengths behind.

Elusive Heat and Gemswick Park raced as a team past the half-mile pole going 444, keeping up the fast pace, the little
dark brown filly almost hidden by her larger chestnut rival. As they spun out of the turn going five furlongs in 564, Frolic's
Dream lengthened her stride and was gaining at every step on the top two, but the wire was coming up fast.

In the end, Gemswick Park's previous stakes experience paid off, barely, by the slightest of noses. Elusive Heat may
have been a little intimidated down on the rail in only her second start, but she needs no excuses for her gutsy run.
Frolic's Dream showed determination another gray nose back in third, her unbeaten record nice while it lasted.
Gemswick Park stopped the clock in 1:093. The fillies ran the last furlong in less than thirteen seconds, indicating they
should be able to go a little further.

Casanova Move started gaining a slight bit of ground at the end and will be a filly to watch going longer. The ninth race
was delayed by ten minutes while a search party was sent out to look for the rest of the field.

Gemswick Park is a daughter of Sprint Champion, Speightstown out of Queens Park, by Relaunch. Relauch produced
sprinter/milers, so it's doubtful Gemswick Park will want to go any further than 7F at this point, although if she learns to
rate just off the pace, she might stretch to a mile if the conditions are right.

Elusive Heat is by miler Elusive Quality out of the champion sprint mare, Xtra Heat, by Dixieland Band. The interesting
thing about milers is that they can get any type of horse and the female family really comes into play when determining
how far the offspring want to go. Xtra Heat won at 6 and 7F and her daughter will probably be the same.

Smoke Glacken offspring can win up to 9F, and Frolic's Dream has a running style conductive to going farther. She was
up close to the pace, but rated kindly for her rider when he gave her a slight breather, then she picked it up again and
was really moving at the end. She has already won going 7F, so a mile or 1 1/6 miles shouldn't be out of the question.

Casanova Move (Langfuhr-Casanova Junction, by Pleasant Colony) was 4 ½ lengths back in fourth. She gave a good
account of herself, considering her best distance will be at a mile or longer, and she has the most upside of all of them
to improve throughout the year. It would be nice to see her try a mile on turf next time out.

Honchis'n Ponchis and previously unbeaten Sweet Repent could turn out to be nice state bred stakes fillies who could
win their share down the road.

Redreamit, by Tapit, might not have liked the dirt. A try on turf or synthetic surfaces might yield better results.