First Premio drops to proven level but catches deep field

Officially, there is no stakes race Saturday at Gulfstream Park as the spring-summer meet doesn’t have its first stakes until May. But Saturday’s multi-conditioned turf allowance feature at Gulfstream Park could certainly pass for, at the very least, a Grade 3 event.

In a highly contentious 11-horse affair, First Premio will try to win his fifth consecutive allowance/optional-claiming race for trainer Mark Casse and Team Valor International. It’s a streak that began in October 2017 at Woodbine, shortly after he arrived here from Ireland in the fall of 2016.

First Premio has not started since he finished fourth, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf mile last Oct. 4. In that race, First Premio appeared to be in good position down the backside, but around the turn he lost some ground. Turning for home he was 13 of 14 before Miguel Mena swung him eight wide in the clear. First Premio came with a strong late run to be beaten two noses for second by Diamond Oops and Suedois, both of whom have won stakes races this year.

“He could have easily won it,” Casse said.

First Premio snugly fits the conditions of this one-mile race as his last win came April 5 at Keeneland. The race is open to horses who have not won at a mile or over on turf since April 15.

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Tyler Gaffalione rides First Premio from post 3.

Penalty, a son of Blame trained by Bill Mott, comes off a narrow victory over Largent in a second-level optional-claiming race here on Feb. 22. That performance was flattered when Largent came back to win here last Saturday.

Last July, Penalty beat Halladay by a neck in a first-level allowance. Halladay has since won two of his five starts, including the Tropical Park Derby here on Dec. 28. Halladay, coming out of a fourth-place finish in the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes, is back in this field. He drew post 11, but he did win the Tropical Park Derby, albeit at 1 1/16 miles, from post 12.

Trainer Danny Gargan sends out the uncoupled entry of Dr. Shane and Kroy. Though Dr. Shane finished sixth in a starter stakes on Feb. 17, Gargan called it “the best race of his life” as he rallied from last to sixth.

“He never passed horses like that before,” Gargan said. “I pared back the blinkers and he’s learned to relax.”

Gargan anticipates Dr. Shane sitting third or fourth early while Kroy, who makes his first start since last June, is likely to be part of the pace.

“He’s a cool little horse, he’s doing really, really well. He’ll probably need a race,” Gargan said.

Mai Ty One On, who is stretching out from several sprint tries, is likely a pace factor. Mai Ty One On goes out for Jane Cibelli, who also sends out Class and Cash, who came within a neck of Dr. Shane in a high-priced optional claimer on Jan. 20.

A possible upsetter could be Ice Tea, who won a second-level optional-claiming race here on Jan. 4 for trainer Mary Eppler before running third behind repeat winner Dalarna in a starter stakes on Feb. 17.

This goes as race 10 on a 12-race card that is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m.