2016 Harlan's Holiday Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida will play host to the G3 Harlan's Holiday Stakes on Saturday, December 17. Horses three years old and upward will be featured when they take to Gulfstream's dirt track and race 1 1/16 miles for the winner's share of the $100,000 purse.

Seven older entries will line up in the Harlan's Holiday Stakes - race 7 on Gulfstream's stacked Saturday card. Post time is 3:01 PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all seven combatants for this newly graded G3 stakes - three of which come from the barn of Todd Pletcher.

2016 Harlan's Holiday Stakes Entries at Gulfstream Park

Keen Ice 9-5 - posted a win over American Pharoah (the only horse to beat Pharoah so far) in the G1 Travers Stakes at 16-1 August 29, 2016 but has been just OK since - mostly because he had been racing with a cannon bone fracture. Last time out was a respectable but distant third behind Arrogate and American Pharoah in the Breeders' Cup Classic November 5 after another third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park October 7, an eighth in the Group 1 $10 million Dubai World Cup March 26, a seventh in the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 March 5, a sixth in the G1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream February 6 and consecutive fourth place finishes - the G1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs last November 27 and the 2015 Breeders' Cup Classic. Other good results include a second behind American Pharoah in the G1 Haskell Invitational August 2, 2015 and a respectable third in the 2015 Belmont Stakes. He also had a seventh in the 2015 Kentucky Derby and a fourth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. He tries to snap a seven race losing streak and enters in so-so form. Javier Castellano has been tabbed with changing the morning line favorite's fortunes around from gate 6.

Stanford 2-1 - Todd Pletcher trained colt has four wins and four runner-up finishes in 12 career starts. He was last seen back in June when he ran a troubled eighth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park which followed a terrific gate-to-wire win in the G2 $1.25 million Charles Town Classic April 23 and consecutive runner-up finishes - the G2 Gulfstream Park Handicap March 5 and the G3 Fred W Hooper Stakes at Gulfstream Park February 6. Before that were a fifth in the minor Curlin Stakes at Saratoga July 31 and a nice win in the minor Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth Park July 11. He also had a respectable second in the G2 Louisiana Derby in March, 2015. Stanford has placed in six of his last eight starts overall but will be after a strong bounce back in his first start in six months. John Velazquez has been tabbed to ride the second betting choice from the rail.

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Madefromlucky 3-1 - won the G2 Peter Pan Stakes and G2 West Virginia Stakes in 2015 for trainer Todd Pletcher and has been decent since. Last time out was a second in the G3 Excelsior Stakes at Aqueduct way back on April 9 which followed a third in the minor Stymie Stakes on that track in March and an eighth in the G1 Donn Handicap here February 6. He ended 2015 with consecutive runner-up finishes - in the 2015 Harlan's Holiday Stakes and in the G3 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct November 11, 2015. Madefromlucky now has four wins, five seconds and two third place finishes in 16 career starts and has placed in four of his last five starts overall. He tries for his win in 16 months Saturday (6 races) when he departs from gate 2 with Luis Saez aboard the third choice .

Awesome Slew 6-1 - Edward Plesa trained colt has seven career starts with three nice wins and a third place finish. Last time out was a slightly disappointing fifth after setting the pace in the G2 Pennsylvania Derby at Parx September 24 which followed a career best result - a dominating seven length win in the G3 Smarty Jones Stakes on that track September 5. Before that was a sixth in the G1 Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park July 31, an OK third in the G3 Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park June 19 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score on that track May 21. He also had an OK fourth in the G3 Sanford Stakes at Saratoga last July and a maiden score at first asking on June, 2015. Awesome Slew will be after his second graded stakes win in three starts and for a bounce back from gate 4 Saturday. Joel Rosario rides.

Hy Riverside 15-1 - Antonio Sano trained gelding has four wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 13 career starts. He makes his graded stakes debut Saturday off a fourth in the minor Millions Classic Preview Stakes at Gulfstream Park West November 12 and two straight Allowance Optional Claiming scores on this track in August. Before that was a respectable second in the minor Trinniberg Stakes here July 30 and another Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 16. Hy Riverside has been good against lesser competition and hopes to be again in his step up into graded stakes company. Jesus Rios gets the call.

Applicator 30-1 - has 19 career starts for trainer Mikhail Yanakov with just two wins, a second and a third place finish. He enters off a fifth in the G3 Tropical Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park West November 26, a seventh in the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga August 27 and another seventh in his graded stakes debut - the G1 Belmont Derby Invitational July 9. Before that was a career best effort - a win in the minor Gleaming Stakes at Gulfstream May 28 after failing to place in his previous seven starts. Outside of one start Applicator hasn't been great. He leaves from the outside post 7 with Leonel Reyes guiding him.

Joshua's Comprise 40-1 - has 52 career starts for trainer Barry Rose with just two wins, six seconds and seven third place finishes. He has four graded stakes starts but failed to place in any - a ninth in the G3 Skip Away Stakes here in 2014 being the last. He has failed to place in 12 straight races ahead of this weekend as well - a fifth last time out in an Allowance Optional Claiming here December 11 followed a seventh in the minor Millions Classic Preview Stakes November 12 and another fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming in October. Joshua's Comprise hasn't been competitive lately and isn't expected to be Saturday with Andre Ramjet in the saddle from post 3.

2016 Harlan's Holiday Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 7 on Gulfstream Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 3:01 PM.