Green is good for Sovereign Warrior

Trainer Juan Avila wants to see the Florida sunshine beaming down on Sovereign Warrior in Friday’s featured eighth race at Gulfstream Park.

“No rain, please,” he said.

Sovereign Warrior goes in a first-level allowance at five furlongs on turf that carries an optional claiming price of $25,000. He could go favored in the field of 11 after a close fourth-place finish in last month’s $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream.

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Avila hopes to see Friday’s race remain on the grass. The forecast is for a high of 88 degrees and a 30 percent chance of precipitation, according to The Weather Channel.

These days, there is no rain on the Avila parade. He said Wednesday that King Guillermo, a top Kentucky Derby prospect who has been based at Gulfstream, is now settled in at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky Derby is Sept. 5.

“He’s good,” he said. “He’ll work next Saturday, a half-mile.”

Avila said he also sent Belle Laura to Churchill. She comes off back-to-back wins at Gulfstream, her latest the $60,000 In the Breeze on July 5. Avila said she is being pointed to the Grade 2, $500,000 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile on the undercard of the Kentucky Derby.

“She’s a nice filly,” he said. “I’m very happy with this filly.”

As for Sovereign Warrior, he was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths in the Bob Umphrey, an overnight stakes that went in a quick 56.08 seconds on good turf July 5. Pay Any Price, a multiple stakes winner of more than $700,000, won the race for the third time in his career. The third-place finisher from the race, Krsto Skye, came back in his next start and won his 13th race. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 90 for winning the turf sprint.

“This race is easier,” Avila said of the move from the overnight stakes into a first-level allowance.

Sovereign Warrior earned a Beyer of 84 in the Bob Umphrey, and it’s the best last-race number in the field Friday. He sat about four lengths off the pace and rallied on the cutback from 1 1/16 miles. Sovereign Warrior figures to sit closer to the pace this time, Avila said.

“We’re going to maybe be one or two lengths after the pace,” he said.

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Hector Berrios has the mount from post 10 for Vicente Stella Stables.

The chief threats include Cable Channel, who is coming off a third-place finish at this level June 5 at Gulfstream, and Frenchmen Street, who has faced steeper in his last several starts at Gulfstream.

Trev, who has won his last five starts, is entered for the main track only Friday.

Gulfstream has two other high-end turf offerings on the card. Justinthenickotime is a chief contender in the third race, an optional $50,000 claiming route with allowance conditions. It’s for 3-year-olds at a mile and drew a field of nine.

The sixth race is an optional $25,000 claiming route that carries first-level allowance conditions. It is for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles, and the field of nine includes Rocket Joe Cooper, Souper Jaguar, and Bourbon in May.