Sugar Swirl Stakes 2015 at Gulfstream Park

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 3 Sugar Swirl Stakes is on tap for this Saturday, December 26 from Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will be featured when they take to Gulfstream's main track and dash six furlongs searching for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.

A field of seven older females have been confirmed for the Sugar Swirl - race 4 on Gulfstream's Saturday card. Post time is 1:35 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all seven entries for this intriguing Grade 3 stakes.

2015 Sugar Swirl Stakes Race Favorites

Stonetastic 1-1 - Kelly Breen trained filly won the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes in August, 2014 and has been up and down since. Last time out was an eighth after fading in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Spring which followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score by an astounding 15 3/4 lengths with a 109 Beyer Speed Figure at Parx September 1, a second in the minor Shine Again Stakes at Saratoga in August, and eight months away. Before the layoff was a seventh in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes in November and a fourth in last year's BC Filly and Mare Sprint. She has four wins, two seconds and three third place finishes in 13 career starts and will be after her first stakes score in 16 months. Paco Lopez rides the most accomplished entry in the field and overwhelming favorite from gate 8 as Stonetastic gets a little class relief in his one.

Best Behavior 7-2 - won a Starter Stakes on this track last December and went on to a respectable second in the minor Miami Shores Handicap here in January. She struggled after that - a fifth in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes here in March followed a tenth in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie Handicap in February. Best Behavior has regained her form lately - a second last time out in the Grade 3 Rampart Stakes on this track December 12 followed a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming in July here, a second in the minor Barely Even Handicap in June, a third in the minor Sea Lily Handicap May 30 and a second in the minor Sunrise Stakes May 3 - all results on this track. Best Behavior looks for her first graded stakes score Saturday and having placed in her last five starts overall (four stakes). John Velazquez will be in the saddle hoping to accomplish that goal from gate 4.

Sugar Swirl Stakes 2015 | Remaining Contenders

Dogwood Trail 5-1 - has nine career starts for trainer Stanley Gold with four wins and three second place finishes. She posted two good wins on this track this past summer - the Grade 3 Azalea Stakes in July and by 2 1/2 lengths in the minor Florida Sire Three Ring Stakes in August and went on to a fourth in the minor Uanme Stakes here in September. Last time out was a respectable second in the minor Florida Sire Meadow Star Stakes here October 3. Dogwood trail has been in every race she's entered so far and hopes for a second graded stakes score when she leaves from post 5 with Jeffrey Sanchez aboard.

Miss Melinda 6-1 - Bill Mott sends out Miss Melinda for her graded stakes debut Saturday after she recorded three wins, three seconds and four third place finishes in 18 career starts. She enters off an OK third in her stakes debut - the minor Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs November 27 after consecutive sevenths in Allowance Optional Claiming races this past fall. Miss Melinda has looked good in her last three starts overall and hopes her recent success translates to graded stakes company. Junior Alvarado has been tabbed to keep the upward trend going from post 3 Saturday.

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You Bought Her 10-1 - was very good at the beginning of this year - two wins and two seconds in her first four starts of 2015 including a win in the minor Minaret Stakes at Tampa Bay in February and a second in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes on this track in March. She has been up and down since - a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming last time out November 28 followed a win in a similar race at Keeneland in October, a fifth in the minor Shine Again Stakes at Saratoga in August, a second in the minor Saylorville Stakes in June, a sixth in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes May 25 and a seventh in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff May 2. You Bought Her has been OK at times but is still chasing her first graded stake score. Jockey Brian Pedroza hopes to accomplish that goal from the rail Saturday.

Naval Command 15-1 - William Kaplan trained filly has 10 career starts with three wins, a second and a third place finish. She had a couple of wins in summer of 2014 including the minor Happy Ticket Stakes at Louisiana Downs but has placed in just one of six starts since - that being a third last time out in an Allowance at Gulfstream Park October 10. Her graded stakes results include a sixth in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney Stakes here in July and a fifth in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades at Keeneland in October, 2014. Naval Command hopes to snap an ugly streak Sunday when she leaves from gate 6 with Eddie Castro in the reins.

Sky Gold 20-1 - has three wins and two second place finishes in eight career starts for trainer Antonio Sano. She enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Gulfstream Park West November 5, a fifth in a similar race at Belmont Park September 30 and an eighth in the Grade 2 Prioress Stakes at Saratoga in August. She has failed to place in two of her last three starts and hasn't hit the board in three previous stakes tries. Jockey Edgard Zayas will try to change all of that from the outside post 7 Saturday.

2015 Sugar Swirl Stakes Entries & Odds

Race 4 on Gulfstream Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 1:35 PM.