Turf Stakes for 2YOs Designated Qualifiers for Royal Ascot Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – The $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile and $100,000 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies, each offering its winner a berth in one of six stakes during this summer’s Royal Ascot meeting and a $25,000 equine travel stipend, drew full fields of 12 plus two also-eligibles for Saturday’s renewals at Gulfstream Park.

Trainer George Weaver, who saddled 2023 Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies winner Crimson Advocate for a victory in the Queen Mary (G2) during Great Britain’s prestigious meeting that will be conducted from June 17-21, is represented by an entrant in each of the five-furlong turf stakes for 2-year-olds. Both Sandal’s Song, a son of Mendelssohn owned by Dew Sweepers, and Royal Testament, a daughter of Midshipman owned by Mathieson Racing LLC, are scheduled to make their career debuts in their respective stakes, for which they will both break from the rail post position.

Trainer Wesley Ward entered Fuzzy Stare, a homebred son of Hootenanny, for a debut start in the Royal Palm Juvenile, as well as entering Satisfied Mind, a daughter of First Samurai who scored a 3 ¼-length victory in her debut at Keeneland for owner Hat Creek Racing, in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.

Trainer Patrick Biancone will be well represented in the Royal Palm Juvenile (Race 10) and Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies (Race 6) by four offspring of Leinster. Biancone and Amy Dunne’s Squire, who recovered from early bumping to rally for a debut win in a 4 ½-furlong dash at Gulfstream April 18, is the only entrant in the Royal Palm Juvenile to graduate. Dunne and Biancone’s Tully Road is entered to debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile. Dunne, Caitlin Dunne and Brenda Miley’s Lennilu is entered in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies off an April 6 debut victory at 4 ½ furlongs over a sloppy Keeneland track. Biancone also entered Dew Sweepers’ Emerald Ember to make her debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and Repole Stable have entered I Think I Can, an unraced Irish-bred son of Lope de Vega, in the Royal Palm Juvenile and Nonna’s Love, a runner-up in her recent debut at Keeneland, in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies.

AMO Racing USA’s Bibi Dahl, a $1.35 million purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September sale, is slated to make her debut in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies. The daughter of 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah is trained by Jorge Delgado.

Trainer Jose D’Angelo entered four for the Royal Palm Juvenile, including Arindel’s Fear, third in his recent debut at Keeneland; and Leon King Stable Corp.’s Ciborio, a son of Raging Bull who is working forwardly for his debut. Joker Racing LLC and New Horizon Bloodstock’s Skipping Stars and Chester Bishop’s Hotter Than Dem are on the also-eligible list. D’Angelo won the Royal Palm Juvenile last year with Gabaldon, who went on to finish second in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.