Born Noble returns from long layoff
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Born Noble was an eye-catching debut winner at Gulfstream Park 51 weeks ago, but as quickly as his star rose, it faded. Narrowly defeated in his second start in February and away from the races ever since, Born Noble returns Sunday in a first-level/optional $25,000 claiming race that highlights the 10-race Gulfstream Park card.
Born Noble, a son of Constitution trained by Todd Pletcher for St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds, won his debut by 5 1/2 lengths despite lugging in and changing leads very late. His 93 Beyer Speed Figure had many expecting him to join the Triple Crown trail. However, in his second start, going a mile in an allowance, Born Noble, again late to change leads, got run down by Real Macho. Born Noble subsequently worked twice before going to the sidelines.
“Promising debut, little bit of a disappointment second start, and kind of came back with some bone bruising and gave him time off,” Pletcher said. “He’s come back and trained really well. I’m not sure six [furlongs] is the perfect distance for him, but it felt like a good place to come back anyway.”
Born Noble has shown similar tendencies in the mornings that he showed before he debuted last winter.
“He’s always been an exceptional workhorse and continues to do that,” Pletcher said.
Born Noble is drawn on the outside in this eight-horse field and will have regular pilot Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons.
Straight Arrow and Classify appear the main threats to Born Noble. Straight Arrow, a New York-bred son of Arrogate, has won races from six furlongs to 1 1/8 miles on dirt. He is coming off a third in a turf allowance Oct. 17 at Aqueduct, his first start in 11 months.
Trainer Mike Dini said he had some issues training Straight Arrow for his return and felt the horse was a little short for that race. Dini planned to run him back in a dirt stakes at Aqueduct on New York Showcase Day, but the horse cut up his chest when he ran through a fence on the farm at which he was stabled.
Straight Arrow has a trio of sharp works at Tampa Bay Downs leading to this spot.
“I think he’s one of the horses to beat,” said Dini, who has Javier Castellano to ride.
Classify has seven seconds and just two wins from 12 starts. Most recently, he finished third behind El Grande O and Toxic Gray in a first-level allowance race Oct. 24 at Aqueduct. Those two horses both came back to win their next outs with career-high Beyer Speed Figures.
“If you look at his résumé you think he doesn’t like to win, but he happens to catch really good, productive races,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.
Classify’s last win came at Gulfstream in January in a statebred allowance coming off the same two-month layoff he has coming into this spot.
“He’s running into Born Noble who I thought was very impressive last year and a horse I have a lot of respect for, but I feel like we’re going to run close to our top,” Joseph said.
Perhaps the wild card in the field is Great Lilo, who, after some uninspiring performances, won a six-furlong maiden race on Nov. 17 by 5 1/2 lengths, earning a 91 Beyer, 40 points higher than the figure he earned 23 days earlier.
Pay Zone returns from a freshening following a well-beaten seventh in a second-level allowance at Keeneland. His most recent win came in a starter allowance at Gulfstream in July. Pay Zone is trained by Rohan Crichton, who also sends out Sound of the Beast.
Omaha City and Shea D World complete the field.
Following Sunday’s card, racing resumes on Thursday.
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