Conditions give Fuel the Bern chance for upset in Sunday optional claimer

Fuel the Bern has a history of running well fresh and has shown the ability to handle an off track. Sunday, Fuel the Bern is likely to encounter a wet track when he makes his first start off a 92-day layoff in Gulfstream Park’s featured second-level allowance/optional $50,000 claiming race at six furlongs.

Fuel the Bern, trained by Danny Gargan, has not run since finishing last of seven in a higher-priced optional claimer on Feb. 9 at Aqueduct. It was his sixth straight defeat since he came off a 69-day layoff to win a Keeneland allowance 13 months ago.

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In the interim, Fuel the Bern, a 6-year-old son of Bernardini, faced some tough company in this condition, including running behind subsequent stakes winners Build to Suit and Happy Farm as well as the Grade 1 winner Complexity.

Gargan said Fuel the Bern “got a little sour” on him following his last start, which is partly why freshened him up. Though the past performances show a three-week gap in his workout pattern from April 2 to April 23, Fuel the Bern was in training at a farm in Ocala, Fla., where he spent a required two-week quarantine period for horses that shipped to Florida from New York. Most recently, he worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds at Palm Meadows last Sunday.

“I think he’s back to where he used to be,” Gargan said. “I think he’ll be one-two.”

In his only start over wet track, Fuel the Bern won an off-the-turf claiming race by 6 3/4 lengths at Aqueduct. Sunday’s forecast for South Florida calls for rain, so there is a likelihood of an off track.

Chris Landeros is named to ride from post 5.

Frosted Grace will be the likely favorite and looms the horse to beat in this six-horse field. Frosted Grace was run down in the final jump by Soldado in a similar spot on March 26, and earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

Trainer Kathy Ritvo took the blinkers off Frosted Grace for that race.

“I think he improved a little,” Ritvo said. “He’s more seasoned now. It was time for them to come off.”

Mihos and Where Paradise Lay, third and sixth in that March 26 race, both came back to win their next start. Where Paradise Lay won a $35,000 claimer on April 18 and was taken out of that race by Brendan Walsh, who has him entered in this spot while in for the $50,000 tag.

Where Paradise Lay won that April 18 race over a sloppy track and is 2 for 3 over an off track. Tyler Gaffalione has the call from the outside post on Sunday.

The 9-year-old gelding Whyruawesome is 11 for 59 but 0 for 4 over a wet track. Running for Riz, the likely speed of the race, and Magic Tapit complete the field.

Sunday’s 10-race card starts shortly after 1 p.m.