By Christie DeBernardis
Tampa Bay's GII Hillsborough S. always attracts a high quality field, with two-time champion Tepin (Bernstein), MGISW Stephanie's Kitten (Kitten's Joy) and Grade I victress Dickinson (Medaglia d'Oro) on the list of recent winners, and this year is no exception. La Coronel (Colonel John) and Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy) finished one-two in Keeneland's GI QEII Cup in October and meet once again in this spot. While La Coronel, who was most recently second in this venue's Feb. 10 GIII Endeavour S., called it a season after that effort, Daddys Lil Darling went on to finish third to Lovely Bernadette (Wilburn) in Churchill's GII Mrs. Revere S. and got her long awaited Grade I in the American Oaks at Santa Anita when last seen Dec. 30. The bay has won off the layoff in the past and has been working well at Payson Park, most recently firing a half-mile bullet in :48 flat Mar. 2.
Martin Schwartz's Off Limits (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) closed out 2017 on a hot streak and looks to continue that as she gets her 2018 season started here. Capturing a Saratoga optional claimer last August, the chestnut followed suit with victories in the GIII Noble Damsel S. Sept. 23, GIII Athenia S. Oct. 28 and the GI Matriarch S. Nov. 26.
While Proctor's Ledge (Ghostzapper) is not a Grade I winner yet, she is a two-time graded winner and a “TDN Rising Star” and certainly deserves a look here. Capturing the GIII Lake George S. at Saratoga in July, the homebred followed suit with a victory in that venue's GII Lake Placid S. a month later. The bay disappointed last time when eighth in the QEII, but looks primed to bounce back in this spot with a best-of-17 five-furlong bullet in :59 2/5 on the grass at Palm Meadows last time Mar. 3.
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