Answer In has tough task in Wednesday allowance race

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Brad Cox, who is stabled regularly in South Florida for the first time this winter, wasted little time making his presence felt locally when he sent out Frost or Frippery to win Saturday’s Claiming Crown Iron Horse. With the victory, Cox emerged from the first weekend of the meet 1 for 1.

On Wednesday, Cox looks to remain perfect during the Gulfstream Park Championship meet when his graded stakes-placed 3-year-old Answer In faces six rivals in a $47,000 allowance test carded at one mile on the main track.

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Answer In was briefly prominent on the national scene last winter. He was the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Southwest in February at Oaklawn, the first of two preps leading up to the Arkansas Derby there. Answer In finished third in the Southwest, while no match for top two finishers, Silver Prospector and Wells Bayou. He earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 87.

Answer In has started just twice since, most recently finishing fourth in a six-furlong allowance dash while meeting older horses for the first time on Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs.

Answer In figures to receive his stiffest test Wednesday from another lightly raced 3-year-old in War Stopper, who also showed promise earlier this season before going to the sidelines for an extended vacation following a 10th-place finish in the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct in March.

War Stopper has been transferred from trainer Rudy Rodriguez to Todd Pletcher’s barn since the Gotham. His one major effort of note came in January, a wire-to-wire four-length victory going a mile against maiden special weights at Aqueduct for which he received a 93 Beyer Speed Figure. War Stopper has been working steadily for his return at Palm Beach Downs and would appear to be the controlling speed under Irad Ortiz Jr. in Wednesday’s headliner.

Pletcher also has entered Roman Empire, who has been away since June and steps into open company for the first time. He won an allowance race restricted to Florida-breds here in his last start. He, too, has trained forwardly at Palm Beach Downs.

The remainder of the field comprises four-time winners Geonosis and Glory of Florida, last out maiden winner Target Tales, and outsider Il Faraone.

◗ Saturday’s program will feature five stakes, four of them graded, topped by the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The Fort Lauderdale drew 26 nominations, including the Pletcher-trained Halladay and the Cox-trained Factor This, who finished sixth and eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Also nominated was Channel Cat, third while beaten less than a length by winner Instilled Regard as the 2-1 favorite in the 2019 Fort Lauderdale.

Saturday’s card also includes the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday, Grade 3 Rampart, Grade 3 Sugar Swirl, and the My Charmer.