Chas's Legacy seeks third straight win in Monday allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Pat Byrne trained a number of great horses and is part of racing lore, so he appreciates a young person with an awareness of racing history.

That’s just one reason Byrne gave the mount aboard Chas’s Legacy to Tyler Gaffalione in the nominal feature Monday at Gulfstream Park, a $48,000, first-level, one-mile race and the only allowance on an 11-race program.

“Even though he’s only 20, Tyler could tell me about the good horses I had, like Favorite Trick and Awesome Again,” said Byrne, whose small stable is currently based at the Palm Meadows training center. “A lot of young people don’t bother to learn about the game, and I respect someone who does. Plus, he’s a darned good little rider.”

Gaffalione is the leading apprentice with eight wins through Friday at the championship meet that began Dec. 6. His grandfather, Bobby, and father, Steve, also were jockeys.

Gaffalione could be in the thick of things when a field of 10 turns for home in the 10th-race feature, as Chas’s Legacy will be going for his third straight win.

“I’m glad I didn’t lose him for $30,000 in his last start,” said Byrne, who lost the 1997 Eclipse Award vote for top trainer by one vote to Bob Baffert. “It seems like he’s really catching on.”

First post Monday is 12:40 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 5:01 and the 11th race for 5:30.

After Monday, Gulfstream goes dark for two days, with live racing set to resume Thursday.

Key contenders

Tell Tale Friend (Last 3 Beyers: 94-64-85)

* Big effort in a starter-allowance sprint a month ago equated to a field-high 94 Beyer Speed Figure, but he obviously must show that he can replicate that kind of effort at this longer distance. Trainer Jorge Navarro continues to excel in numerous categories and trails only Todd Pletcher atop the current meet standings.

Chas’s Legacy (Last 3 Beyers: 90-71-58)

* Four awful efforts that followed a promising maiden victory in the fall of 2013 prompted Byrne to twice risk him for a claiming tag, a move that suddenly reawakened this gelding. Now, he must demonstrate whether he’s able to fare as well against stronger company.

Gombey Dancer (Last 3 Beyers: 70-77-86)

* String of recent workouts at Palm Beach Downs perhaps signals the readiness of a 5-year-old gelding whose running style suggests he’ll appreciate the eight furlongs. Trainer George Weaver shows a positive return on investment ($2.35) with such stretch-out types.

Queequeg (Last 3 Beyers: 85-85-37)

* Back-to-back 85 Beyers came in Parx sprints in the fall, so it’s difficult to say how this first-time gelding will match up when stretching out against stronger competition. Does come favorably drawn in the outside hole and figures to be prominent a long way.