Ampersand back with his friends in statebred allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Slowly but surely, a lot of familiar faces will start making their way back from their summer homes up north and into the local entries as the start of the Championship meet in December fast approaches.

Among the first to arrive is Ampersand, who will get some much needed class relief when he gets back to statebred company in Sunday’s $46,000 allowance feature going a mile on the main track at Gulfstream Park.

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Ampersand ran here with a modicum of success against similarly conditioned opposition last winter and spring, including a neck loss to Hercules on April 1 after setting or contesting all the pace. Ampersand, who is winless in eight starts since capturing his career debut last season at Saratoga, raced at Belmont and Saratoga during the summer. His best finish in three tries there, all against allowance company, was a distant second-place finish at Saratoga on Aug. 1. In his New York finale, he finished seventh following a troubled start and wide trip on Sept. 4 in a race won by Baby Yoda, who was entered to run in the Grade 2 Vosburgh on Saturday at Belmont. Baby Yoda earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure in that race, tied for the highest Beyer of the year.

“He didn’t seem real keen on the climate down here,” trainer Phil Serpe said of Ampersand, “which is why I sent him up north earlier this year, and he ran really well two races back in New York, although he was hitting a bunch of stakes horses and it got to the point where I felt I needed to find the right spot for him, which is back at Gulfstream against Florida-breds.

“Obviously we thought a lot more of him than he’s shown us so far and it’s reality time now. We’ve got to figure out where he belongs.”

Serpe, who won the Queen’s Plate this past summer at Woodbine with Safe Conduct, said he’d like to eventually establish a year-round stable at Gulfstream.

“I’ve got a home in South Florida and I’d like to establish a base down there,” said Serpe. “I’ve got three there now and will start sending more down as we go along.”

Ampersand drew the outside post in a field of seven and may vie for favoritism with Khozy My Boy, who makes his first start since being claimed for $35,000 by trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. out of a 1 1/4-length victory against open company on Sept. 10. Three starts back, on July 9, Khozy Boy posted a career best 84 Beyer Speed Figure finishing second, beaten a half-length, against Florida-bred allowance rivals here.

The field also includes the top three finishers from a similarly conditioned event on Aug. 20. Nacho Papa rallied to a two-length victory in that race over The Red Man, with Dark Ages another length back in third.

Tiger, who has been transferred to trainer Carlos David’s barn since his last start, and Sososubtle complete the well-matched lineup.