Co-featured sprints come up strong

Times are such that Gulfstream Park can fill the same optional-claiming-conditioned race at six and seven furlongs on one card and get solid fields for each one. Such is the case Friday when two $47,000 sprints are the co-features on a 10-race card that begins shortly after 1 p.m. Eastern.

Race 6 is at seven furlongs and includes the talented 4-year-old Sniper Shot and the 7-year-old graded stakes winner Do Share among its eight runners.

Sniper Shot, a gelding by Shackleford trained by Todd Pletcher, came off a nine-month layoff to win a first-level optional claimer by four lengths on Jan. 17. Sniper Shot became the 1-2 favorite when Hidden Scroll, the race favorite, was scratched at the gate.

Despite being parked four wide throughout, Sniper Shot drew clear while running six furlongs in 1:10.40. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

“It was a good effort,” Pletcher said. “He’s consistently run well. He’s had some interruptions in his schedule, but he always shows up and runs hard. He’s breezing like he’s ready to go again, so we’re looking forward to running him.”

Though his last win came at six furlongs, Pletcher opted for the longer race Friday.

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“I felt like it was a good distance for him,” Pletcher said. “I entered him in that as first choice and six [furlongs] as the second choice. It’s one of those rare situations, because of the circumstances going on, the race would fill at both distances.”

Sniper Shot, who drew post 6, should be in a forward or stalking position under Luis Saez.

Though Do Share is a graded stakes winner at six furlongs, trainer Norm Casse opted for the longer race, hoping the extra furlong would give the late-runner more opportunity to get up.

“We’ve always thought his best distance was seven, especially at a place like Gulfstream,” Casse said. “He’s a horse that’s a little frustrating because he has no early speed and you can’t force him.”

Do Share is in for the $62,500 tag, the same price Casse claimed him for last August at Saratoga. Do Share is dropping out of an eighth-place finish in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile.

With Paco Lopez sidelined due to a broken thumb, Casse has named Emisael Jaramillo to ride Do Share.

Royal Squeeze, an 11-time winner, and Mihos, who won the 2019 Mucho Macho Man Stakes in January 2019, are among the other contenders.

Race 9 is at six furlongs and features the return to the races of Fortin Hill, a 4-year-old son of Mucho Macho Man who has won his first two starts impressively. Fortin Hill has not run since June 1 when he won an off-the-turf allowance by 2 1/4 lengths at Belmont Park.

“I think he’s got a lot of talent,” trainer Chad Brown said. “We’re looking forward to getting him back to the races. He’s had an interrupted career up to this point, but the ability has always been there.”

Among his sternest rivals figures to be Yodel E. A. Who, who trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. cuts back from two solid efforts at a mile to six furlongs. Both of those races have come since Joseph removed the blinkers from the gelding’s equipment.

“Before, he was a little more one-dimensional,” Joseph said. “With the blinkers off, he can sit. He’s just come up short. He just hasn’t stayed the mile strongly. We’re cutting him back in trip and hope he stays the six furlongs strong.”

There does appear to be plenty of speed in this field, including Vinnie Van Go and Running for Riz.