Hidden Facts drops from stakes in Gulfstream turf sprint

The last time Hidden Facts ran in allowance/optional-claiming company going five furlongs over Gulfstream Park’s turf course, she ran too good to lose. Embroiled in a protracted speed duel, Hidden Facts was able to shake free of Kitten’s Covergirl in deep stretch only to get run down by Charmaine’s Mia in the final stride.

After two unsuccessful stakes attempts, Hidden Facts is back in a second-level allowance/optional $50,000 claiming race going five furlongs on turf that serves as the feature on Gulfstream’s 11-race Friday program.

The field for Friday’s feature at Gulfstream Park is similar to that of a race carded for April 18 that was rained off turf to the dirt. Hidden Facts is one of five of the runners in this field who scratched from that race while three more in this field ran in that off-the-turf affair.

Hidden Facts, a 4-year-old daughter of The Factor trained by Brian Lynch, has run well from on and off the pace. Though Kitten’s Covergirl is back in this field, Lynch feels his horse may be the primary speed breaking from post 6 under Irad Ortiz Jr.

“It doesn’t look like there’s a lot of speed in there and I think she’s pretty sharp right now; hopefully she shakes loose from them,” Lynch said. “We gave her a little freshening and she acts like she’s really doing well. She’s got a nice post position, you got Irad in the irons, so hopefully between the both of them it’ll be a good combination.”

R Happy Ending, one of four entered for the $50,000 claiming price, was not entered in that April 18 race. She is coming off a solid third-place finish behind the win machine Jean Elizabeth in the Lightning City Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 22. R Happy Ending, trained by Georgina Baxter, has a 3-3-1 record from eight starts over Gulfstream’s turf course with all three of those wins coming at five furlongs.

Regal Chant, a six-time winner over the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs last year, returns from a seven-month layoff and makes her turf debut for trainer Tim Hamm.

Charmaine’s Mia, who was a perfect-trip winner over Hidden Facts on Jan. 5, is dropping back in for the tag after two unsuccessful attempts with trouble in stakes.

Another Arindel 2-year-old

Friday’s card includes a 2-year-old maiden race for males at 4 1/2 furlongs on dirt. Arindel Farm and Juan Alvarado will look for their third 2-year-old winner of the year with Bailey, a son of Brethren out of the 19-year-old mare Horah for Bailey, who has dropped nine winners from as many foals.

Trainer Wesley Ward has the pair of Breakthrough, believed to be the first runner by 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, and Chasing Artie. Todd Pletcher entered the pair of Prisoner, a son of Violence and a half-brother to six winners, and Restored Order. The latter is four-deep on the also-eligible list.