Excaper heads group of stakes winners in featured allowance
It’s one of those Gulfstream Park races in which horsemen bemoan the purse not rising to the level of competition, but fans say they’re just fine with what is being presented.
The Friday feature at the south Florida track is a $52,000 turf allowance that boasts four graded stakes winners in an oversubscribed field. Excaper, a Canadian stalwart with superior tactical ability, perhaps is foremost in the standout lineup.
Based for the winter with Ian Black at Payson Park, Excaper will have Jose Lezcano aboard when breaking from post 7 in the ninth of 10 Friday races. A 6-year-old gray horse, Excaper won the Grade 2 Connaught Cup last May at Woodbine and is fast approaching the $750,000 earnings mark.
Java’s War, Neck ‘n Neck, and Riding the River are the other graded stakes winners in a 1 1/16-mile race that also drew several ungraded stakes winners.
First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern, with the feature set for 4:32 and the last race for 5:01.
Key contenders
Java’s War (Last 3 Beyers: 44-90-81)
* The winner of the Grade 1 Blue Grass over the Keeneland Polytrack in 2013, this stretch-running 5-year-old has not raced in almost 16 months and now makes his first start under the care of Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield, whose prowess with long-layoff horses is well documented.
Joelito (Last 3 Beyers: 76-88-98)
* This longtime Southern California mainstay starts a new chapter in a promising career when making his first start for Michelle Nevin, who has worked him eight times at Palm Meadows – and that’s after eight works for former trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in September and October. He could be a serious threat from just off the pace with Joel Rosario taking the call.
Excaper (Last 3 Beyers: 93-91-93)
* Classy and speedy, he figures as the one to run down, assuming Lezcano can avoid a ruinous early duel with the likes of Smooth Stone, Golden Rifle, or Mr. Online.
* The 1 1/16-mile distance pushes his limitations, but after having recently run a big race behind Mshawish, who wheeled back to win the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale last weekend, he’s a deserving favorite here.
Sky Blazer (Last 3 Beyers: 95-93-98)
* A stretch-running veteran, he jumps up with a huge one every once in a while, such as when he captured a similarly tough allowance last March over the Gulfstream turf. He typically requires a fast pace to facilitate his kick, but that scenario seems likely given the depth of this field.
Neck ’n Neck (Last 3 Beyers: 88-91-94)
* This earner of more than $700,000 might not be the same horse he was before being injured in the fall of his 3-year-old campaign, but he does appear to have been training very well in recent weeks for Ian Wilkes at Palm Meadows. Likely would benefit from a move to the main track since he never has raced on turf.