Following sharp win, Tiz Romantic tries tougher for hot barn

A sharp horse, Tiz Romantic goes for hot trainer Reynaldo Yanez, who has three wins from five starts at the current meet, and looks like the one to beat in a first-level allowance race Sunday at Gulfstream Park. The five-furlong dash on turf drew eight horses and goes as race 8 on a nine-race program that begins at 1:05 p.m. Eastern.

Tiz Romantic was making his first start for Yanez when he romped in a $25,000 conditioned claiming race April 14. With Leonel Reyes aboard, he forced the pace in the five-furlong turf sprint, took control in midstretch, and drew off to win by four lengths. The 84 Beyer Speed Figure he received is a career best for the 4-year-old gelding by Tizway, and the performance was a dramatic improvement over his previous race where he finished sixth in a $25,000 claimer for nonwinners of two.

The move to turf may have something to do with Tiz Romantic’s turnaround. It was the second time in 14 career starts that he raced on turf. In his other race on turf, he was the runner-up in a $40,000 optional maiden claimer on Aug. 8 at Woodbine.

Tiz Romantic is stepping up in class and will have to deal with quicker interior fractions. However, he is versatile, as evidenced by his win in a $15,000 maiden claimer at Woodbine where he rallied late in the six-furlong race on Tapeta.

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He drew the outside post and could get a nice trip from a stalking position with Reyes retaining the mount.

The Mark Casse-trained Ghostliner looks like the main threat and could end up favored. The 4-year-old gelding by Ghostzapper was stuck behind a wall of horses before he found room along the rail in his win in a Florida-bred first-level allowance race at five furlongs on turf, which included a $20,000 claiming option.

Ghostliner has shown an affinity for the Gulfstream turf course, with two wins from three starts and a third-place finish in his only loss. In his other win, he romped by four lengths in a $40,000 optional maiden-claiming race Feb. 2.

He showed he could wait behind horses in his latest win, and the same scenario could unfold as he drew the inside post with Emisael Jaramillo up.

Psychedelic Shack could move forward following his strong debut where he came from a stalking position to win a maiden special weight going five furlongs on turf for trainer Christophe Clement.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool was taken down Thursday with a $182,098 payoff. It had gone five racing days without a single winning ticket since it was hit for $220,289 on April 16.