Gargan confident he has fixed problem plaguing Piccolo Flats
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Her form suggests Piccolo Flats is an inconsistent sort with two solid wins sandwiching two sound defeats from her last four starts.
But trainer Danny Gargan believes Piccolo Flats had a legitimate excuse in her two defeats, and when the 4-year-old filly runs in Friday’s $69,000 feature at Aqueduct, Gargan is expecting a performance more in line with what she delivered last out. If that’s the case, Piccolo Flats could be tough to handle in the second-level optional $62,500 claimer at a mile on the main track.
“She got the thumps twice,” Gargan said Wednesday by phone from Florida. “We figured out how to stop it. Now that’s why she had a little form reversal.”
Thumps is an electrolyte imbalance. Gargan believes in the case of Piccolo Flats it could be a reaction to Lasix. She now receives the smallest amount that can be given.
Piccolo Flats won a New York-bred allowance by 7 1/4 lengths on May 8. She came back 17 days later and finished fifth, and showed signs of the thumps, according to Gargan. Given some time and with no ideal race for her at Saratoga, Piccolo Flats didn’t start until Sept. 13 at Belmont, where she finished fourth, beaten 12 1/4 lengths, and again was diagnosed with the thumps.
On Oct. 30, in a first-level allowance at Belmont, Piccolo Flats galloped to a 3 3/4-length victory. That was her fourth win in seven tries at a one-turn mile.
“She’ll probably run the same race this time that she did last time,” Gargan said.
Piccolo Flats has only four rivals in the race – Tahoe Tigress, Sustainable, Natalie Victoria, and Rapid Repair.
Gargan has Groupthink as a main-track-only entrant in Friday’s eighth race, a starter allowance scheduled for a mile on turf. Though it is forecast to be dry Friday, rain did wash races off the turf Wednesday and threatened Thursday’s grass racing as well.
Race 3
KEY CONTENDERS
Piccolo Flats (Last 3 Beyers: 86-76-69)
◗ Came off a seven-week layoff to win a first-level allowance race with a strong last-to-first move under Kendrick Carmouche, who is back aboard on Friday.
◗ Came back with a solid half-mile work in 47.80 seconds, second-fastest of 29 at the distance on Nov. 18.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Piccolo Flats. Trainer Danny Gargan is 14-8-3-1 with a $6.20 ROI in dirt routes with Kendrick Carmouche aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Tahoe Tigress (Last 3 Beyers: 71-79-76)
◗ Has been second twice at this condition when offered for the tag, including two starts back when beaten at Belmont by Carrumba, who came back to run a good second in last Saturday’s Grade 3 Comely Stakes.
◗ Drops in class after finishing fifth, beaten 10 lengths by Wonder Gal, in the Empire Distaff on Oct. 24. Wonder Gal ran third in the Comely.
Sustainable (Last 3 Beyers: 75-66-68)
◗ Second to repeating winner Theophilia while finishing 8 1/4 lengths clear of rest of field when stretched out to a mile for the first time in similar spot as this on Nov. 6.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Rapid Repair. Trainer Kelly Rubley is 9-3-1-4 with a $7.73 ROI with last-out winners returning less than 45 days since their previous start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan