Abuela's Love, Perspire facing elders in allowance spots

The promising 3-year-old fillies Abuela’s Love and Perspire will take on older rivals in separate allowance races Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

The 12-race program includes seven races for fillies and mares, including the two best offerings on the card.

Abuela’s Love starts in one of them, a first-level allowance for fillies and mares at five furlongs on the grass. The race goes as the 10th and also has drawn Taylor’s in Orbit, who has won back-to-back turf sprints in her last two starts at Gulfstream, and Hy Dollface, who defeated Perspire in a first-level allowance on the main track Aug. 1 at Gulfstream.

Abuela’s Love is making her turf debut following a runner-up finish in a first-level allowance sprint July 26 at Gulfstream. The start was her first in more than nine months and she was prominent throughout to earn a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 75. Since the race, the fourth- and fifth-place finishers, Princess Latina and Noncents, have won back at Gulfstream.

As for the move to grass with Abuela’s Love, her sire, Cairo Prince, is getting 14 percent debut winners on turf, according to statistics from Daily Racing Form. Her trainer, Eddie Plesa Jr., also wins at an above average rate with his first-time turf starters, hitting at 20 percent. Abuela’s Love draws the widest gate in post 10 and could get a tracking trip behind Delicious Pursuit, Dark Tricks, and R Next Roll. Cristian Torres has the mount for Karl Glassman and Cathi Glassman.

Perspire is looking for her second straight win in the 11th race, an optional $40,000 claiming race for fillies and mares that carries second-level allowance conditions. A field of seven has signed on for the one-turn mile on the main track.

Perspire had success at the configuration in a first-level allowance Aug. 24 at Gulfstream, when she rallied for a 3 1/4-length win. She covered the distance in 1:37.08, and her Beyer of 81 is the co-highest last-race number in Sunday’s field. She shares the distinction with Sean’s Idea.

Perspire has tactical speed and might settle in just behind Reagan’s Rose, who has a chance to steal away depending on the break. Jairo Rendon has the mount on Perspire from post 4 – just like last out. Stanley Gold trains the daughter of Brethren for her breeder, Arindel.

Balada is moving back to dirt, surface of six of her eight wins, after running fifth in an optional $25,000 claiming race at a mile on turf June 20 at Gulfstream. The race has produced two next-out winners, including Lady Alida, the third-place finisher who came back to win the $75,000 Treasure Coast at Gulfstream with a Beyer of 80.