Michael Ivarone, Jules Ivarone, and the TCC stable’s turf and synthetic stakes winner Dancing N’ Dixie, recently sold at November’s auction, are aiming to make a strong impression for their new owners in Saturday’s $100,000 overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park in Key West. The race, open to mares aged 4 and older and run over 1 1/8 miles on the all-weather Tapeta track, is the second of three stakes featured on New Year’s Day. It follows the $175,000 Cash Run for 3-year-old fillies on dirt and precedes the $175,000 Dania Beach for 3-year-old fillies on turf.
Dancing N’ Dixie, trained previously by Hall of Famer Mark Casse, raced 19 times between ages 2 and 4, winning three races, placing second once, third five times, and earning $418,830. Highlights of her career include winning the 2023 Our Dear Peggy over a mile and 70 yards at Gulfstream on Tapeta, and pulling off an upset victory in the one-mile Tepin at Churchill Downs in July 2024. At five years old, she was purchased for $200,000 at Keeneland’s November breeding stock sale by billionaire Neolithic, who is known for finishing second and third at the 2017 Pegasus World Cup. Dancing N’ Dixie has competed in five graded stakes, mostly at Woodbine, notably finishing third by a length in the Grade 2 Maple Leaf on November 8.
Entrusted to jockey Edgardo Zayas, Dancing N’ Dixie will start from the No. 2 post as the 5-2 favorite. Competing against her is Forflying, a 6-year-old filly from Jessica Slack Gel’s Newstead stable and trainer Graham Motion. Forflying, post 6 with morning odds of 7-2, recently won the Via Borghese at Gulfstream on December 24. She boasts two Grade 1 wins in Brazil and has performed admirably in several stakes races at Woodbine and Maple Leaf.
Royal Light Racing’s 6-year-old mare Charlie’s Wish, starting from post 3 at 5-1 odds, is the highest earner in the field with $454,099 from 25 races. She has finished third or better 18 times, including six wins such as the 2023 Azalea (7 furlongs on dirt), the 2024 Distaff Turf, and the 2024 Ginger Punch (both at 1 1/16 miles on Gulfstream Tapeta). Other contenders include Design (Post 1, 12-1), Show Off (Post 4, 20-1), Oshara (Post 5, 15-1), Mama Bella (Post 7, 4-1), Fantasy Performer (Post 8, 8-1), and Lady Firefoot (Post 9, 8-1).
This article originally appeared on Paulick Report on December 31, 2025.
Fan Take: This race offers an exciting showcase of seasoned mares with varied backgrounds and impressive stakes records, highlighting the depth of talent in turf and synthetic racing. For horse racing enthusiasts, the competition promises thrilling action and potential upsets, reaffirming the sport’s enduring appeal and the significance of versatile track conditions.
