Rated by Merit, R Morning Brew Favored in FSS Series

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association's Florida Sire Stakes continues Oct. 19 when Gulfstream Park hosts the $200,000 Affirmed Stakes for 2-year-old males and the $200,000 Susan's Girl Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. These races are the second legs of two separate three-race series, concluding Nov. 30 with the finales in the male and female divisions at Gulfstream.

The Affirmed, in which Rated by Merit looms as a heavy favorite against five rivals, is the first of the two juvenile stakes on the Saturday card, going off as the eighth race, followed three races later by the Win N Your In and R Morning Girl-led seven-horse Susan's Girl. Both sprints are at seven furlongs, restricted to horses sired by Florida stallions.

St. Elias Stable's Rated by Merit is perfect in two six-furlong starts, scoring by a combined 16 lengths. The son of Battalion Runner also ran quickly, clocked in 1:10.50 in his July 13 debut in which he scored by 9 3/4 lengths and then timed in 1:09.45 in taking the Sept. 7 Dr. Fager division of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes by 6 1/4 lengths. His time bettered Three Rules' 2016 Dr. Fager record of 1:09.49.

Trainer Michael Yates calls Rated by Merit a well-balanced, correct, and athletic horse who is "very uncomplicated."

He is also speedy. His two starts resulted in Equibase Speed Figures of 93 and 92.

Jesus Rios returns in the irons aboard Rated by Merit, who, after drawing outside in the Dr. Fager, breaks from post 2 Saturday. That leaves the colt inside the other speed horse, Dr. Fager runner-up Neoequos, who appears to be his principal rival.

Stakes winners R Morning Brew and Win N Your In meet again in the Susan's Girl after R Morning Brew defeated Wiggle An' Wine and Win N Your In in the FTBOA Florida Sire Desert Vixen Stakes.

Averill Racing's R Morning Brew controlled the latter from start to finish, just as she did in one earlier start when racing over a wet track, drawing off to win the Sept. 7 Desert Vixen by 5 1/2 lengths with six furlongs in 1:10.85 under Edgard Zayas.

"She's been a pleasant surprise. Her first time out I didn't know what to expect. She just trained evenly. She won well, but we weren't sure if it was the slop," trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. "I thought the other day that she came back with a performance that spoke for itself."

Joseph is unconcerned about the additional furlong of the Susan's Girl for the daughter of Curlin's Honor .

"I feel seven furlongs should be no problem. Seven furlongs should be well within her reach," he said.

Troy Johnson and Maritza Weston's Win N Your In, trained by Carlos David, disappointed with a show finish as the public choice in the Desert Vixen after breaking from the rail. This marked regression following an open stakes-winning performance in the Aug. 10 Sharp Susan Stakes over Wiggle An' Wine.