Heiressall trying to keep momentum going in allowance

MIAMI – Trainer Terri Pompay always knew Heiressall was fast and talented, but it took her plenty of time and patience before finally being able to prove that notion to everyone else.

Heiressall figures to be favored over six rivals while seeking her third consecutive victory in the first of two $47,000 optional-claiming events to be decided Friday at Gulfstream Park West. The homebred daughter of Wildcat Heir was unraced as a 2-year-old, finished second in her April debut, and then spent nearly four months on the sidelines before finally winning her maiden at Gulfstream Park in wire-to-wire fashion Aug. 16. She then came right back four weeks later with an even better and more explosive performance, a 5 1/4-length victory over statebred allowance company.

“I knew she had ability even as a 2-year-old, but she had a little shin as a baby and she was also a tall and light filly who just needed to mature,” said Pompay, who trains Heiressall for My Purple Haze Stables LLC. “She ran well once we got her to the races this spring, but then developed an abscess, which took forever to pop out and that took her frog and half her foot out when it finally did. We had to grow everything back, it just took us a lot of time.”

Pompay said she believed Heiressall was still “a little short,” despite the fact she won first time back from the layoff before finally putting it all together in her most recent start, for which she earned a career-best 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She was finally totally fit for the last race and you could see how she just accelerated and was really running the last part of it,” Pompay said. “She’s trained very well coming out of the race, and I expect her to win again Friday, although there is always the question of running over a new surface. That’s my main worry. You just never know how horses will handle that track over there. She drew the rail, but that doesn’t concern me. She proved last time she could sit off it, too, and she’ll go inside or outside horses if need be.”

There will be plenty of speed breaking immediately to Heiressall’s outside on Friday, with Luzmimi Princess and R Next Roll, who are rarely outrun to the lead during the early stages of their races, in post positions 2 and 3, respectively, in the six-furlong event.

In her last start, Luzmimi Princess set a contested pace and opened a seemingly comfortable three-length advantage leaving the furlong grounds only to succumb late and finish third against similarly conditioned opposition. She figures to benefit from that outing, her first in more than three months and first since being transferred to the barn of trainer Jose Garoffalo.

R Next Roll returns to the main track after vying for the lead for more than a half-mile before fading to finish a disappointing seventh as the 8-5 favorite in a five-furlong turf dash Sept. 30 at Gulfstream Park.

A hot pace could benefit the late-running Denver, who turns back to six furlongs after finishing full of run to be second going one mile in her last start. Denver, like Heiressall, already won a restricted first-level allowance race against statebreds during the Gulfstream Park summer meet.

Pennsylvania invader Oldfashioned Style and Working Carol K, recently claimed for $10,000 out of a second-place finish against open company Sept. 21, could prove sleepers at a price. Working Carol K already has a couple of wins on her résumé over the Gulfstream Park West surface.

A field of 10 older fillies and mares are scheduled to go 1 1/16 miles on the turf, weather permitting, in Friday’s co-featured eighth race.

Six-time winner Nikki’s Cause makes her first start since being claimed by owner Frank Calabrese and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. for $30,000 out of an easy 3 3/4-length victory going a mile Aug. 16 at Gulfstream. She is the favorite and one to beat.

Southern Sis and Seafire, both making their 2018 debuts, have the back class to prove dangerous if ready for a top effort off the bench, while Snirvana, Whiteheelgirl, and recent maiden winner Baroness Vontrappe are among the other key contenders.