Gulfstream: Tech Fall, Malibu Glow meet again

Barbara D. Livingston

Malibu Glow won an allowance at the 2011 Saratoga meet, then finished fifth in the Travers.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Tech Fall and Malibu Glow, who finished fourth and fifth when they met for the first time as 3-year-olds last summer in the Grade 2 Dwyer, will square off again under allowance conditions in Thursday’s 7 1/2-furlong feature at Gulfstream Park.

Tech Fall will make his first start since finishing four lengths behind Dominus in the 1 1/16-mile Dwyer. Tech Fall, a son of Birdstone, had not been worse than second in four previous starts, winning his maiden going a mile and 70 yards at Delaware Park in launching his career at 2 and a first-level allowance race over the same distance and course early at 3.

“We were hoping maybe to get him to the Travers last summer at Saratoga, but he jammed himself up a little bit, nothing big, and cost himself some time,” said Anthony Dutrow, who trains Tech Fall for owner Michael Dubb. “I always thought he was a very talented horse who’s been an underachiever. Maybe he was a bit immature but I don’t want to make any excuses. Time’s not on his side any longer, he needs to prove his worth this year, and this race is a logical approach to begin his 4-year-old season.”

Tech Fall has worked five times at Palm Meadows since January 20 in preparation for his return including a near bullet half mile in :48 on Feb. 17.

Malibu Glow finished a neck behind Tech Fall while equipped with blinkers for the first time in the Dwyer. He bounced back four weeks later to beat older horses in a first level allowance race going a mile and one eighth at Saratoga. That performance earned him a start in the Travers where he turned in an even effort to finish fifth, beaten less than seven lengths by Stay Thirsty, following a wide trip.

Malibu Glow was freshened by trainer George Weaver following his eighth place finish behind Redeemed and Alternation in the Oklahoma Derby in mid-October. He’s been prepared for his return by Weaver at his winter home at the Palm Beach Downs training center in Delray.

Tech Fall and Malibu Glow will face six rivals including trainer Marty Wolfson’s uncoupled pair of Golden Moka and Thank U Philippe.

Golden Moka and Thank U Philippe finished second and third respectively behind the graded stakes winner Travelin Man going 6 ½ furlongs over a sloppy track here two weeks earlier.

Simbamangu always showed promise but was winless in his first six career starts before finally breaking through to earn his diploma over a wet track at Aqueduct on Nov. 23. He came right back five weeks later to register a second straight victory when stretched out to a mile and one sixteenth by trainer Barclay Tagg in his 3-year-old finale here on Dec. 31.

Andersonstate, Siete Machos and Dream Maestro complete the field.