HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A year ago, trainer Michael Yates swept the open division of the Florida Sire Series with the undefeated and relatively untested Rated by Merit, who won the six-furlong Dr. Fager, seven-furlong Affirmed, and 1 1/16-mile In Reality by a combined 16 lengths while an overwhelming favorite in each race.
Yates’s bid to repeat that feat got off to a good start after Fourth and Central led throughout to upset the Dr. Fager at odds of 10-1 here Sept. 6. But his dream came to an end when Fourth and Central was conspicuous by his absence in the field of 11 2-year-olds entered in Saturday’s Affirmed.
“He had a minor issue and just wasn’t ready,” explained Yates, who was forced to miss a scheduled work for Fourth and Central. “Unfortunately, timing is everything. Like I said, the problem was a minor one and we’re hoping we can have him ready in time to make the next one.”
Yates was referring to the series finale, the Nov. 29 In Reality on opening weekend of the 2025-26 Championship meeting.
Despite the loss of Fourth and Central, Yates will still have a major player, Finding Strength, in the $150,000 Susan’s Girl Stakes. Finding Strength is coming off a very game effort when beaten just a nose by Lennilu in the six-furlong Desert Vixen to kick off the filly division of the Sire Series. Lennilu will bypass the middle leg to compete instead in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on Oct. 31 at Del Mar.
Finding Strength figures to go postward second choice in the Susan’s Girl behind the odds-on Mythical, a popular winner of the Grade 3 Adirondack this summer at Saratoga.
Both Sire Stakes drew large fields, with 11 set to go in the Affirmed and 13, including one also-eligible, entered for the Susan’s Girl.
Wootun goes longer
Unlike Yates, who has had considerable success in Florida Sire stakes over the years, trainer Heather Smullen will be sending out her first starter in the series when Wootun goes postward among the choices in the Affirmed.
Wootun ran second against open maiden competition in her debut before coming back to register a popular 2 1/2-length victory when facing statebreds for the first time Sept. 27. The Silverton Hill Farm-owned colt showed a good turn of foot while clear on the lead in both races.
“We knew he’d be a little short in his first start, but he needed to run and the open race was the only one available at the time,” said Smullen, who took out her license during the spring of 2024 and currently has more than 30 horses under her care. “He moved forward and ran the way I thought he would in his second start.”
Smullen said the break and her horse’s ability to get seven furlongs will be key to his success in his stakes debut.
“He trains like a horse who can go a distance. I guess we’ll find out,” said Smullen, when asked if she thought Wootun can stay seven-eighths. “He’s quick and with 2-year-olds you really can’t start taking them out of their style at this stage. But he has galloped and worked in behind horses, so I’m not sure he absolutely needs the lead if someone else wants to send from inside. I like the fact we’ve got an outside post. I’m just going to tell Luca [Panici] to play the break and go from there.”
Smullen, who was the regular work rider for Tiz the Law for the majority of his racing career, has sent out five winners from 21 starters with a whopping return on investment of $5.04 during the opening five weeks of the current meet.
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