Henry's World brings his speed to the Tapeta
If Henry’s World handles Tapeta as well as he does turf, he could be tough to run down in a starter $12,500 allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Friday. The five-furlong dash drew eight horses and goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m. Eastern.
Henry’s World is the speed of the speed and is a neck and a head away from winning his last four starts, all five-furlong sprints on turf. In his last race, which was his second for trainer Gilberto Zerpa, the 4-year-old Florida-bred son of Soldat set a fast pace under pressure in a $25,000 starter race and just got nipped at the wire by the 9-5 favorite Harry’s Ontheloose, who came from a stalking position. Henry’s World went into the race off a win in a first-level allowance race on Aug. 14 that carried a $25,000 claiming option.
The Aug. 14 race was his first since May 29, when he won a $16,000 claiming race and was claimed by Zerpa. Before that he was beaten a head for $12,500.
With 75, 83, 84, and 88 Beyer Speed Figures in his last four starts, Henry’s World is on an upward trend and he could be sitting on a peak performance in the third start of his form cycle.
Edgard Zayas, who was aboard for the two most recent wins, will be up when Henry’s World breaks from post 6.
Discreet Tune is also on a nice run, with two wins and two runner-up finishes in his last four starts.
In his most recent outing, Discreet Tune was the runner-up on the Tapeta to The Virginian in a first-level allowance sprint on Oct. 9 that carried a $25,000 claiming option. It was the first time he raced over a synthetic surface.
He won at the same level on turf Sept. 11, dueling through honest fractions before holding off The Virginian to win a five-furlong dash by a neck. That race followed a front-running victory in a $12,500 conditioned-claiming sprint on turf Aug 20.
Trained by Carlos David, Discreet Tune has speed, but unlike Henry’s World, who has just one way of going, he can stalk. Discreet Tune will break from post 4 with Samy Camacho riding for the fifth consecutive time.
Midnight Punk is a 17-time winner, with 14 of his victories coming on Tapeta. The Gerald Brooks-trained 8-year-old is taking a big jump in class after winning a conditioned $5,000 claimer at Presque Isle Downs on Oct. 13.