Contemporary Art preps for possible stakes appearance

Christophe Clement has nothing in mind for a potential turf standout named Contemporary Art except to get a good race in her Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

“At the moment, the idea is to get her started back and go from there,” Clement said.

Contemporary Art, a Bobby Flay homebred, will make her first start in nearly eight months in a $72,000 first-level allowance carded as the eighth of 10 Sunday races. The 1 1/16-mile turf race marks the 4-year-old filly’s first start for Clement following three promising outings last year for Chad Brown.

“I got a phone call from Bobby Flay to take over her training last fall,” Clement said. “She’s been at Payson Park all winter and she’s trained rather well.”

Contemporary Art, with Joel Rosario riding, will break from post 9 in a field of 10 fillies and mares. Following a flashy second-start maiden triumph at Belmont Park in June, the daughter of Dubawi finished fourth as the pacesetter in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks in her most recent start in early August. A return to stakes competition would not be unexpected, assuming a solid effort Sunday.

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Fuente Ovejuna, a English-bred filly trained by Brendan Walsh, figures among the main challengers to Contemporary Art. She’ll have Leonel Reyes aboard from post 2. Customer Driven, Improvise, and Wish You Well also look somewhere in the mix.

A second $72,000 first-level allowance directly follows as race 9. The top contenders in a field of seven fillies and mares will be making a surface switch going 5 1/2 furlongs over Tapeta, including French Kissing, Firenspice, and Miss Domina, all of them exiting five-furlong turf dashes.

Purses listed here do not include bonuses for eligible Florida-breds.

Both allowances are part of a 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 5-10) that had a $489,184 jackpot carryover into Friday action.

First post Sunday is 12:40 p.m. Eastern. Sunshine and a high of 87 are in the South Florida forecast.

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