Eva London freshened for optional claimer

Eva London and Concealedwithakiss look like the main players in a $62,500 optional-claiming race that will serve as Friday’s feature at Gulfstream Park. The one-mile race for fillies and mares drew seven horses, with the top pair both having excuses for losing their last starts.

Eva London didn’t break that sharply from the inside post in the $100,000 Musical Romance, and after trailing the field, she ended up going extremely wide when she made her bid on the turn. Not surprisingly, she hung late to finish third in the seven-furlong race restricted to Florida-breds.

Concealedwithakiss was the 1-2 favorite in a $16,000 starter optional-claiming race July 7 but was eliminated from serious contention when she reared at the start.

Eva London, trained by Angel Penna Jr., could end up being the favorite. She went into the Musical Romance off a seven-length romp in a one-mile, $25,000 optional-claiming race April 29, and she also had an easy time winning a maiden special weight race going the same distance March 23.

The lightly raced 4-year-old filly has been freshened, and with a strong set of works showing, it appears that Penna has her primed for a big effort coming off the bench.

Eva London will break from post 5, with Jorge Ruiz riding her for the first time.

After winning the $50,000 Ana T. Handicap going seven furlongs over a sloppy track, Concealedwithakiss was ambitiously placed in the Grade 2 Princess Rooney, where she was never in contention after stumbling at the start.

Trainer Luis Duco wheeled her back six days later, and the chalk players took a bath when she eliminated herself at the break.

KEY CONTENDERS

Eva London, by Adios Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 77-84-77

◗ She is 2 for 3 at the distance, gets off the rail, and should get a nice trip from a forward position.

◗ She has been working nicely at Palm Meadows, and over the past five years, Penna has a 17 percent strike rate with horses returning from a layoff of 61 to 180 days.

Concealedwithakiss, by Bold Outlook
Last 3 Beyers: 54-60-80

◗ She’s a six-time winner at the distance, and it is easy to toss her last two starts. She could be the one they have to run down if she breaks alertly with Emisael Jaramillo riding.

Mama Joyce, by First Dude
Last 3 Beyers: 76-73-74

◗ The last time she ran at Gulfstream for trainer Ralph Nicks and owner Donald Dizney, she won a $50,000 maiden-claiming race Aug. 6, 2015, by 10 3/4 lengths with Tyler Gaffalione riding.

◗ She hasn’t been worse than second in her last five races in New York, and she just missed in a $40,000 claiming race at Belmont in her last start June 16. Acting on behalf of Dizney, who lost her for $30,000 at Churchill Downs last year, Nicks claimed her back, and it is encouraging to see Gaffalione accept the mount.