Of Dubious Miss, Quick Enough, and Cost of Freedom

A trio of veteran geldings are entered to race over the next two days. They are Dubious Miss, winner of the 2010 Ben Ali Stakes (gr. III); Quick Enough, a capable turf sprinter who has won or placed in six stakes races, including a victory in the 2010 Morvich Stakes (gr. III); and Cost of Freedom, a grade I winner in the past that has lost a few steps with old age but still shows good early speed even at the advanced age of nine.

Quick Enough and Cost of Freedom will head to post first, as they are both entered in the same race later this afternoon. The event is a six-furlong, $25,000-$22,500 claiming event on the all-weather track at Golden Gate Fields. Quick Enough has been competing well in similar events here at Golden Gate, the only difference in today's race being the claiming tag. Quick Enough has been competing in $20,000-$18,000 events, and is thus taking a bit of a step up in class today. Regardless, he is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line and should turn in a good effort.

Cost of Freedom won the Ancient Title Stakes (gr. I) back in 2008, and was beaten just a head when third in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I). Unfortunately, he is no longer the force that he once was, and his last three starts have come for a claiming price. He hasn't won a race in over a year, but this is the lowest-class race in which he has ever competed, and it's possible that this could lead to a much-improved effort.

On Saturday at Fair Grounds, Dubious Miss will head to post in the Colonel E. R. Bradley Handicap (gr. III). The eight-year-old gelding recently won his first race since the 2010 Ben Ali, taking a 7-1/2 furlong, $35,000-$30,000 claiming race by a length. This is a great big step up in class, and he will be facing several in-form stakes winners, but Dubious Miss has been a consistently good horse throughout his career. In addition, he did finish second in this race last year and has always run well here at Fair Grounds, so hopefully that will be enough to see Dubious Miss run another great race.
-Keelerman

Presious Passion, Quick Enough Continue to Breeze

The remarkable old gelding Presious Passion, attempting a comeback at the age of nine, breezed for the third time since his return to training at Gulfstream Park yesterday afternoon. A three-time grade I winner and runner-up in the 2009 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. I), Presious Passion has become famous for his front-running style that has found him as many as 20 lengths in front of his rivals early on.

Breezing on the main dirt track, Presious Passion went five furlongs in 1:02.70, not a quick time, but he's never been one to breeze quickly. His previous two recent works were a half-mile in :51.90 on December 24th and five furlongs in 1:03.65 on December 18th.

Winless since taking the Mac Diarmida Stakes (gr. II) in February 2010, Presious Passion seems to have lost a step or two with age, but nevertheless retains a competitive spirit that is enabling him to try a comeback. His last start came in January 2011, when he finished fifth after setting the pace in the Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes at Santa Anita. It would be a truly amazing story if Presious Passion were to return and win one more time -- any race at all, a grade I stakes, an allowance event, it doesn't matter. It would be a fitting conclusion to a magnificent career if this gelding were able to go out with a victory.

Another Veteran Gelding busy on the worktab is Quick Enough, winner of the 2010 Morvich Handicap (gr. III). Now an eight-year-old, he has recently been competing well in claiming races and will probably be racing again soon. Earlier this morning at Golden Gate Fields, he breezed a half-mile in :50 4/5.

-Keelerman