Abounding Legacy challenges elders following impressive maiden win
The promising 3-year-old Abounding Legacy will meet winners and older rivals for the first time in Sunday’s sixth race at Gulfstream Park, but he could go favored. Abounding Legacy is coming off a breakout race, an 8 1/4-length victory in a local maiden special weight race in which he earned a career-high 84 Beyer Speed Figure.
He runs Sunday in a first-level optional $16,000 claimer at a mile. A field of seven is set to start, including Southern Barbecue, a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Jackson Bend, and Divine Energy, a son of Tapit from the female family of champion Serena’s Song.
The card also includes an optional $50,000 claiming race for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf.
Race 6
KEY CONTENDERS
Abounding Legacy (Last 3 Beyers: 84-79-74)
◗ He ran second in the first three starts of his career before putting it all together in a big way in a Gulfstream maiden race March 28. Abounding Legacy was moving to a mile for the first time, and after sitting some seven lengths off the pace, he won going away.
◗ Abounding Legacy has been flattered since, with the fourth-place finisher from the maiden race, Dr. Toole, returning in his next out to capture a maiden special weight at Pimlico with a Beyer of 61. In addition, Element, the ninth-place finisher to Abounding Legacy, came back in his next out to take a maiden special weight at Gulfstream with a 73 Beyer.
◗ The 84 Beyer that Abounding Legacy earned for the win is the best last-race number in the field Sunday.
◗ Abounding Legacy is a Triple Crown nominee by the Storm Cat stallion Flashstorm. His dam, Abounding Truth, was a Grade 3 winner who earned $235,679. Abounding Legacy races for PHS Racing and Run Hard Stables.
◗ Abounding Legacy, who will break from post 5, is trained by Ralph Nicks and will be ridden by Edgar Prado.
Divine Energy (Last 3 Beyers: 73-65-91)
◗ He will be turning back in distance after finishing second in a 1 1/16-mile race at this level March 29 at Tampa Bay Downs. The winner of the race he exits came back in his next start to take an optional $32,000 claiming race at Tampa with a 77 Beyer.
◗ The 4-year-old Divine Energy has an age edge on Abounding Legacy.