Boris tries Tapeta in Hollywood Beach after promising dirt win

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Boris owns the highest Beyer Speed Figure of any horse entered in Saturday’s $65,000 Hollywood Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a 72 earned for his impressive maiden win over the main track here two weeks earlier.

But the Hollywood Beach, which drew seven 2-year-olds, will be decided at five furlongs over the Tapeta course, which makes Boris’ ability to transfer his current good form to the synthetic strip just one of many questions handicappers will have to answer when trying to settle on their selections for the afternoon’s main event, which goes as the fifth on an 11-race program.

Boris led from start to finish to earn his diploma in his fifth start for trainer Fernando Abreu here on Sept. 23, drawing off to a popular four-length decision in the six-furlong maiden dash restricted to Florida-bred 2-year-olds. Boris arguably should have won his maiden in his previous start when second, a length behind the well-meant first-time starter Bouncer, after being floated out past the middle of the strip when challenging for the lead into the stretch.

“It seems like he’s been getting stronger, both physically and mentally, with each race and we finally gave him his head last time and let him make the lead,” said Abreu. “We’re going to take a shot on the Tapeta Saturday because I’ve always thought he was more of a grass horse and will handle it since his mother [Sum Roar] ran very well on the turf.”

:: DRF Bets members get FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic. Join now!

Abreu said he hopes to see Boris come away from the gate running but acknowledges he may not make the lead in the Hollywood Beach with several other speed types signed on for the race.

“There’s no sense going in ridiculous fractions and to set the race up for someone else if one or two others are determined to go to the front,” Abreu reasoned. “I think he’s ratable but at the same time he’s got to break and at least get forward position.”

Boris is one of five members of the field coming off their maiden wins, a group that also includes Takecareofbusiness, No Name Dude, Face Abarrio, and Wide West, the only filly in the lineup. All but Takecareofbusiness led at every call on graduation day.

Cheerful Charlie could wind up the tepid favorite having been stakes-placed over the Tapeta in each of his last two starts. Cheerful Charlie, a consistent sort who has posted 66 Beyer Figures in each of his last three outings, finished third in the 5 1/2-furlong Proud Man on Aug. 28 and second, beaten a neck by Lights of Broadway when stretching to a mile and 70 yards for the Armed Force four weeks later.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.