Gulfstream Park: Strong field for Wednesday allowance sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Wednesday’s sixth race will be overshadowed by the return of Honor Code later on the card. But the $51,750 optional-claiming race drew a stakes-quality field of sprinters led by the vastly improved Evolution Rocks and the undefeated Confrontation.

Evolution Rocks has posted 4 wins and 3 seconds in 7 starts since being haltered by trainer Jorge Navarro for $6,250 last summer at Monmouth Park. The 5-year-old son of City Zip earned triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in three of those victories, including a career-best 105 for his 2 1/4-length tally in an overnight stakes at Calder on Jan. 25.

Confrontation won all three of his starts at age 3, launching his career with a 7 1/4-length maiden victory at Saratoga while competing under a $50,000 claiming tag. Trained by Barclay Tagg, Confrontation has not started since winning a first-level optional claimer at Belmont Park on Oct. 12.

There will be speed aplenty in the race, with Evolution Rocks likely to face a stern early test for the lead from Dreaming of Neno, who has not raced since setting the pace and finishing second to graded stakes winner Singanothersong under similar conditions here Nov. 17.

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