Can Splash Rules duplicate his last performance?

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After running the best race of his career in his most recent start, the key question is whether Splash Rules can repeat that effort while stepping up in company as one of the favorites in Friday’s $43,000 feature at Gulfstream Park.

The first-level optional $16,000 claimer drew a field of eight 3-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs. The group includes R Limo Joe, trainer Todd Pletcher’s first starter of the meet. Pletcher recently shipped a contingent of horses to his winter home at Palm Beach Downs.

Splash Rules first showed a real hint of his talent here in June when winning his maiden by nearly eight lengths in a career-best performance for trainer John Vinson, only to go backward when returning six weeks later to finish a distant fifth against allowance competition. But after a second-place effort under similar conditions Aug. 5, Splash Rules scored a four-length victory over statebred first-level optional claimers just 15 days later, earning a 95 Beyer Speed Figure.

“The problem with him has been getting him to relax,” said Vinson, the son of former trainer Garner Vinson. “He ran a couple of races where he got involved in suicidal pace situations and just ran himself ragged early. But in his last start, he broke on top, and Tyler [Gaffalione] got him to relax and settle back, which made all the difference.”

Vinson said he’s convinced that Splash Rules will not regress off his last performance.

“He seems to be coming into this race in similar shape to the last one,” said Vinson. “So, as long as he gets the same kind of trip, he should be all right.”

R Limo Joe returns to the main track and turns back in distance after finishing a distant 11th after setting the pace into the stretch going 1 1/16 miles on grass last month at Saratoga. R Limo Joe was an easy seven-length allowance winner against statebreds here prior to shipping north during the spring.

Although he guided Splash Rules to victory last time, Gaffalione has opted to ride Liberty Holiday on Friday. Liberty Holiday is under the tutelage of Ralph Nicks, who will try him on the main track for the first time since his arrival in the U.S. from South America.

Icatiro and Maritime Pulpit, like Splash Rules, step up in company off recent wins against lesser, while Rasta Rant could prove to be the major beneficiary if the pace gets too hot and the race falls apart at the end.

Race 9

KEY CONTENDERS

Splash Rules, by Pomeroy

Last 3 Beyers: 95-73-58

◗ Cornelio Velasquez will replace Gaffalione aboard Splash Rules, who will break from the extreme outside for the second start in a row.

“He’s a veteran rider who need only watch the films from his last start and ride him the same way,” said Vinson. “He should be able to get the exact same type of trip having drawn the outside again.”

R Limo Joe, by Kantharos

Last 3 Beyers: 53-84-84

◗ Likely will try to outsprint the field from the outset as both his wins have come when he was loose and able to relax on the lead.

Liberty Holiday, by Harlan’s Holiday

Last 3 Beyers: 66-85-80

◗ He was Group 1-placed on dirt in his native Argentina at 3 and has worked extremely well over the main course since shipping locally this summer.