Gulfstream Park: Casse expects top effort from speedy Dene Court

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Dene Court is just a neck shy of being ineligible for the third-level allowance restriction that governs the ninth-race Friday feature at Gulfstream, meaning the 5-year-old mare has to be considered a major threat to finally go through that condition.

“She ran very well last time,” trainer Mark Casse said from Oaklawn Park. “She’s trained well since, and I’d have to think she’ll run very well right back.”

Dene Court, with Jose Lezcano to ride, will break from post 10 in the $54,500 feature, a one-mile turf race that drew 11 fillies and mares, with three more runners entered for the main track only. In her last start here Jan. 15, Dene Court made all the pace before giving way late to be beaten in a photo by Alaura Michele.

One of the main challengers in a lineup dotted with solid contenders is Lily the Pink (post 5, Julien Leparoux), a 6-year-old mare with 15 in-the-money finishes from 20 career starts. Lily the Pink will be making her first start in 10 weeks.

“We’re just getting her year started, so we’re eager to see where we are with her,” trainer Tom Proctor said from Tampa Bay Downs. “It doesn’t take a whole lot to get her ready to run, so that’s good.”

Others meriting close looks include Triple Charm (post 8, Joe Bravo), one of three in the race entered for a $100,000 claiming option; Unbelievable Dream (post 9, Joe Rocco Jr.), adding blinkers and dropping from stakes company while making her first start in 3 1/2 months; and Waterway Run (post 11, Joel Rosario), a Pennsylvania-bred who gets first-time Lasix and makes her first start for Chad Brown while returning to the United States after spending most of her racing career in Europe.

[Clocker Reports: Get Mike Welsch’s clocker reports from Gulfstream Park and Palm Meadows]

The feature will be run about two hours after the only other allowance (race 5) on the card, a $48,750, first-level turf race for 3-year-olds in which Camden Street – one of 41 Triple Crown nominees for trainer Todd Pletcher – will try to redeem himself as the beaten favorite in a similar race here Dec. 14 after an impressive career debut four weeks earlier.

“His second start was a little disappointing,” Pletcher said. “If he runs better Friday, as we expect, maybe we’d end up trying him in one of the Derby preps over the synthetic in Kentucky a little farther down the road.”

Nine others are entered against Camden Street, with Theros, Ironicus, and Morning Calm all likely to attract their fair share of play.

First post Friday is the usual 12:40 p.m. Eastern.