Chillax looking to go back to back

It was a colt named Chillax who might have led you down the wrong path before the Fountain of Youth Stakes on March 1 at Gulfstream Park. Workout video from Feb. 15 showed Chillax getting the best of a Fountain of Youth starter Sovereignty, and if Sovereignty could not beat an unraced colt while breezing, how could he beat his Fountain of Youth rivals?

Sovereignty, of course, did win the Fountain of Youth, while Chillax debuted on the same card and lost by 24 lengths. Turns out, though, that Chillax is all right. After four straight second-place finishes in the maiden ranks, all good showings, Chillax finally broke through Sept. 25 at Churchill Downs winning a maiden dirt route by almost four lengths. And if he runs back to that performance, to say nothing of exceeding it, Chillax can win right back in the seventh race Sunday at Churchill.

Chillax and seven others are entered in a 1 1/8-mile first-level allowance race, with Chillax listed on the morning line as the 9-5 second choice behind 7-5 favorite Hop Sing. The low price on Hop Sing evidently goes back to his 1 1/8-mile maiden win two starts ago at Saratoga, where he controlled an easy pace, and Chillax’s main rival Sunday could turn out to be the improving Pagode.

Race 9, the feature, drew an overflow field of female turf sprinters for a second-level allowance with an $80,000 claiming option. The morning line pegs Tales of the Heart as the 3-1 favorite, but longer-priced Dala and Mom’s Palace hold more appeal.

◗ Wathnan Racing has sent the gelding Tumbarumba to the Middle East for a winter campaign, trainer Brian Lynch said this week. Tumbarumba won the Ack Ack in September at Churchill and finished a good fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Nov. 1.

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