Harvey Wallbanger has the kick to win Sea of Tranquility

Harvey Wallbanger’s closing kick has carried him to his most significant victories, but there’s a chance he could sit a little closer to the pace than usual Saturday in the $60,000 Sea of Tranquility at Gulfstream Park.

The race, for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/16 miles, has drawn a strong cast of seven older horses. The field includes Group 1 winner Kukulkan, Grade 3 winner Identifier, Sunshine Millions Classic winner Noble Drama, and defending Sea of Tranquility winner Eye of a Jedi.

Harvey Wallbanger is a Grade 2 winner, having won last year’s Holy Bull at Gulfstream. He closed from 10 lengths back in the 1 1/16-mile race, and used those same tactics in February when he darted to a clear win in an allowance at the same distance at Gulfstream. For the latter effort, Harvey Wallbanger earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 92.

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But for the Sea of Tranquility, Harvey Wallbanger could find himself closer to the leaders for a handful of reasons. There does not appear to be an abundance of speed in the race and he is a fresh horse, as this marks his first start in about three and a half months.

Harvey Wallbanger also shows some sharp works for his return, logging a pair of bullet drills over the local surface as part of his preparation for his first start back. He went a half-mile in 47.20 seconds July 3 and five-eighths in 1:00.40 on June 26.

There’s also the class factor, as Harvey Wallbanger is dropping in from Grade 3 company. He last ran in the Hal’s Hope, finishing eighth in the 1 1/8-mile race, run March 28 at Gulfstream. Earlier in his career, Harvey Wallbanger showed speed sprinting at Saratoga.

Edgar Prado will be aboard the horse for the first time Saturday when the pair breaks from post 3. Ken McPeek trains Harvey Wallbanger, a son of Congrats, for the partnership of Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, Scott Akman, and Paul Braverman.

Identifier won the Hal’s Hope two races ago at Gulfstream. He is making his first start since finishing 12th in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap on May 2. The race has become a key one. Tacitus, who finished fourth, came back in his next out to easily win the Grade 2 Suburban at Belmont Park, and Night Ops, who was ninth, came back to take the Grade 3 Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows.

Kukulkan, who was a Group 1 winner in his native Mexico, makes his first start since January. Last year at Gulfstream he won the Copa Confraternidad del Caribe in December.

Noble Drama won the Sunshine Millions Classic in January at Gulfstream. He edged Red Crescent, who is a candidate to wire the field Saturday. Red Crescent moves to two turns off a front-running effort at a mile at Gulfstream.