Delta Girl has done little wrong

Delta Girl, a winner in two of her three starts, looks like the one to beat in a second-level, $62,500 optional-claiming race at Gulfstream Park West on Thursday. The one-mile race for fillies and mares drew six horses and goes as the third race.

A 4-year-old trained by Ralph Nicks, Delta Girl began her career with an 8 1/2-length romp going six furlongs in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park on Aug. 13, 2015. She didn’t make her next start until July 22, and she ran a big race, finishing second behind the 3-year-old filly Curlin’s Approval. Curlin’s Approval came back to beat her elders in the $75,000 Added Elegance on Aug. 28 and then finished a close fourth at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Raven Run on Oct. 22.

Delta Girl won her next start, going a mile in a $16,000 optional-claiming race at Gulfstream on Aug. 28. With her tactical speed, she should get a nice trip from a forward position from post 2, with Tyler Gaffalione retaining the mount.

Alto Belle is coming off a lengthy layoff, but that usually isn’t a problem for a Todd Pletcher-trained horse. In her most recent start, she set the pace before fading to finish fourth going 1 1/16 miles in the $100,000 Weber City Miss at Laurel on April 9. She sat just off the speed when she won a one-mile, first-level allowance race at Parx in her previous start, so jockey Eddie Castro will have more than one option when they break from post 4.

KEY CONTENDERS

Delta Girl, by Delta Breeze

Last 3 Beyers: 81-79-89

◗ She can stalk what figures to be a fast pace.

◗ Nicks has given her time to recover after her hard-fought win in her most recent start.

◗ Her sharp five-furlong work at Gulfstream on Nov. 2 is a good sign that she’s ready for another strong effort.

Alto Belle, by Trappe Shot

Last 3 Beyers: 50-60-28

◗ She is 2 for 2 at the distance.

◗ Considering her 18 1/2-length romp over a muddy track at Aqueduct last Nov. 20, she is clearly the one to beat if it comes up wet.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Pletcher is having a strong meet and over the past five years has a 33 percent strike rate with horses going a mile or longer coming off layoffs of 180 days or more.

Danessa Again, by Blame

Last 3 Beyers: 76-76-36

◗ It is interesting to see blinkers go on following back-to-back easy wins in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream on July 28 and a first-level, $16,000 optional-claiming race Sept. 17.

◗ She is trained by Gilberto Zerpa, who is 5 for 12 at the meet. He took over her conditioning following a couple of disappointing efforts to begin her career.