2017 Mac Diarmida Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida will be the scene of the G2 Mac Diarmida Stakes on Saturday, March 4. Horses four years old and upward will be featured when they take to Gulfstream's turf track and race 1 3/8 miles for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

12 older entries will line up in the Mac Diarmida Stakes - race 12 on Gulfstream's stacked Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:35 PM. Here is a look into the past performances of all 12 entries for this competitive F2 stakes.

2017 Mac Diarmida Stakes Entries at Gulfstream Park

Wake Forest 3-1 - German bred Chad Brown Group 3 winner at home has seven wins, two seconds and four third place finishes in 18 career starts. He made his North American debut last August and finished sixth in the G1 Arlington Millions and was forced to the sidelines for eight months. He returned April 2 and posted a respectable second in the G2 Pan American Stakes at Gulfstream and followed that with a terrific win in the G1 Man o' War Stakes at Belmont Park May 14. After that was an OK third in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 3, a disappointing tenth in the G1 Arlington Millions August 13, an OK second in the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes September 17 and consecutive thirds ahead of this weekend - the G1 Pattison Canadian International Stakes October 16 and the G3 Red Smith handicap at Aqueduct in November. Wake Forest has been up-and-down but has placed in six of his last seven starts ahead of this weekend. Javier Castellano gets the call on the tepid morning line favorite Saturday hoping to break Wake Forest's five race losing streak from gate 4.

Bigger Picture 4-1 - made his stakes debut seven starts back for trainer Michael Maker and finished eighth in the G1 United Nations Stakes at Monmouth Park July 3. Before that were six wins, three seconds and a third place finish including two Allowance Optional Claiming races with the last coming at Belmont Park May 12. He has been up and down lately - a good win last time out in the G3 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston January 29 followed an eight in the minor Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes here December 3, a terrific win in the G2 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct November 12 and a decent second in the G3 Sycamore Stakes at Keeneland October 20. Bigger Picture has placed in six of his last nine starts overall with five wins over that span but hasn't been afraid to deliver a dud along the way. He tries for a second straight graded stakes score Saturday and third GS win in four starts from post 7. Jose Ortiz has the mount on the morning line second choice.

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Taghleeb 5-1 - Michael Maker trainee has six wins, four seconds and four third place finishes in 25 career starts. He made his graded stakes debut in October and finished seventh in the G1 Pattison Canadian International at Woodbine and has since finished fourth in the G3 River City Stakes at Churchill Downs November 24 - he had a nice win in the minor H. Allen Jerkens Stakes on this track -December 31 as well. Last time out was another terrific win on this track - the G3 WL McKnight Handicap January 28. He had a decent win in the minor Remington Green Stakes September 25 as well. Taghleeb looks for his third straight stakes score (second straight graded stakes) with Tyler Gaffalione aboard the intriguing third choice from post 9.

Charming Kitten 8-1 - Michael Maker trainee raced to a ninth in the 2013 Kentucky Derby and has been inconsistent since. Career highlights include a win in the 2015 G3 WL McKnight Handicap, a win in the minor H. Allen Jerkens Stakes in January, 2016, a win in the minor Belmont Gold Cup Invitational June 6, 2014 and seconds in the 2013 G2 Virginia Derby and the G3 Hawthorne Derby in October, 2013. He hit the track for the first time in five months January 28 and finished fifth in the 2017 G3 WL McKnight Handicap here after some time in Europe which included a fifth in the Group 3 Irish St. Leger Trial in August and a third in the minor Her Majestys Stakes at Down Royal in July. Charming Kitten failed to hit the board in his last two starts overall after placing in his prior three and will be out to snap a skid from post 5 Saturday. Florent Geroux gets the call.

Mr Maybe 10-1 - defending third place finisher in this race - Chad Brown trained gelding has 18 career starts with five wins, a second and four third place finishes. He was last seen finishing and ugly tenth in the G3 WL McKnight Handicap on this track January 28 after a fourth in the G3 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park October 10, a good win in the minor John's Call Stakes at Saratoga in August and a seventh in the G1 United Nations Stakes in July. He also won the G3 Red Smith Handicap November 14, 2015. Mr Maybe has failed to place in three of his last four starts overall but has shown form in the past. Irad Ortiz has been tabbed with getting Mr Maybe back on track from gate 6.

Danish Dynaformer 10-1 - Roger Attfield trainee has five wins, two seconds and a third place finish in 19 career starts. He won the G3 Singspiel Stakes in July but hasn't looked great since - an eighth last time out in the G3 WL McKnight Stakes here January 28 followed a second in the G3 Red Smith Stakes at Aqueduct November 12, a sixth in the G1 Pattison Canadian International October 16, a fifth in the G1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes September 17 and another fifth in the G1 Arlington Millions in August. He has now placed in just two of his last 10 starts overall - inconsistent to say the least. Luis Saez will try to right the ship from the rail Saturday.

Smooth Daddy 12-1 - placed in a couple of graded stakes races in 2014 but struggled after that. He has been up and down lately as well - a tenth last time out in the G3 Red Smith Handicap at Aqueduct November 12 followed a second in an Allowance at Belmont Park July 8, another second in the G3 Fort Marcy Stakes on that track in May, a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming in March and a second and a win in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming races. He has placed in four of eight stakes tries for Thomas Albertrani but will be out for his first stakes victory from gate 8 Saturday. Miguel Angel Vasquez will be in the irons.

Watershed 12-1 - Kiaran McLaughlin trainee has four wins and three third place finishes in 12 career starts. Last time out was an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track January 25 which followed two unflattering results - eighths in the minor Queens County Stakes at Aqueduct in December and the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in October. Before that was an OK third in the G3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes at Monmouth Park August 27 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Saratoga July 25. He started 2016 with a couple of decent results in Dubai - a third in the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes being the best. Watershed has been a bit tough to figure out and leaves from gate 10 with Paco Lopez in the reins.

Twilight Eclipse 12-1 - is still the world record holder at 1 1/2 miles on turf when he won the 2013 G2 William McKnight Handicap in wire-to-wire fashion by seven lengths - he also won this race in 2012 and finished seventh in 2016! He's placed in 15 of 21 races ahead of this weekend - a fourth last time out in the G3 WL McKnight Handicap here January 28 followed a disappointing tenth in the Breeders' Cup Turf and three straight thirds - the G1 Joe Hirsch Classic October 1, in the G1 Sword Dancer Stakes at Saratoga August 27 and behind Flintshire in the G2 Bowling Green Stakes July 30. Before that was an Allowance score at Belmont Park July 8. His last graded stakes score came in the G1 Man o' War Stakes May 9, 2015 and has failed to fire in his last two starts overall. John Velazquez tries to snap the skid from post 11.

Flatlined 20-1 - late blooming Charles Dickey trained gelding has 20 career starts with five wins, four seconds and two third place finishes. He enters off his worst effort in a while - a seventh in the G1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap February 11 which followed a career-best effort - a win at 15-1 odds in the G2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes on this track January 14. Before that were consecutive runner-up finishes - in the minor El Prado Stakes on this track December 17 and in an Allowance Optional Claiming November 11. He also had a fifth in an Allowance at Keeneland October 15, an eighth in the G2 Commonwealth Turf Cup at Laurel Park September 24 and consecutive wins - the best coming in the minor Old Friends Stakes at Kentucky Downs September 8. Flatlined has placed in three of his last four ahead of this week but will be looking to bounce back off an ugly effort. Joe Bravo has been tabbed with accomplishing just from gate 2.

Reporting Star 20-1 - Brendan Walsh trained multiple stakes winner has been up and down in his career. He won the G3 Appleton Stakes here April 2, the minor El Prado Stakes in December, 2015 and the G2 Play the King Stakes at 15-1 odds at Woodbine August 23, 2015. He also posted a second in the Florida Sunshine Millions Turf in January, 2016 (his second straight runner-up finish in that race). Sprinkled in there are some poor results as well including a ninth in the G2 Commonwealth Turf Cup three starts back at Laurel Park, a sixth in the G3 Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park June 5, an eighth in the G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs May 7 and consecutive fifths in G1 races in the fall of 2015. Last time out was an OK third in the minor Sunshine Millions Turf Stakes here January 21 after a fourth in the minor El Prado Stakes in December - both on this track. Reporting Star is a tad tough to figure out but will leave from post 3 Saturday hoping to gain a little consistency with Julien Leparoux guiding him.

Patterson Cross 20-1 - Bill Mott trained colt has just seven career starts with two wins, a second and a third place finish. He made his stakes debut January 28 and finished third in the G3 WL McKnight Handicap. Those result followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score here December 15, consecutive fourths in Allowance races this past fall and an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Belmont Park in September. Patterson Cross has been OK lately but may be in over his head from the outside gate 12. Jose Lezcano rides.

2017 Mac Diarmida Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 12 on Gulfstream Park's Saturday card with a Post Time of 5:35 PM.