Homespun Hero has good shot at elusive win

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A trio of first-level optional-claiming races will help close out another full week of racing Sunday at Gulfstream Park, the best of which goes as the 12th event on the 13-race program and will be decided at seven furlongs over the main track for older horses.

Homespun Hero and Curlins Vow, both of whom have been stuck in second gear recently, may vie for favoritism in the field of seven, which also includes the lightly raced but promising Promote for trainer Shug McGaughey. The remainder of the lineup comprises Russian Greek, Speightful Song, Louises Baby Boy, and The Son Wind.

Homespun Hero has finished a close second here under similar conditions in his last two tries. Trained by Mike Maker, Homespun Hero was beaten a neck by Icatiro while launching his 4-year-old campaign on Jan. 28. Five weeks earlier in his 2016 finale, he dropped a three-quarter-length decision to He’s Got Talent after setting the pace.

Homespun Hero has never won at seven furlongs, although he’s also never finished worse than third in four tries at the distance. He won three times last year at 3, with his most recent victory coming Oct. 15 at Keeneland under a $50,000 claiming tag.

Curlins Vow also has been second here in his last two starts, most recently behind Fast Friar while going six furlongs here on Feb. 23. The 4-year-old, who is trained by Michael Tomlinson, earned a career-best 87 Beyer Speed Figure when rallying wide and from far back to miss by three-quarters of a length to Heckuvashot at a mile on Jan. 8.

Promote, a homebred son of Blame for the Phipps Stable, has not started since finishing an even sixth in a tough entry-level allowance dash last July at Belmont Park. Promote rallied from the rear of the field to win his career debut by 2 1/4 lengths at Belmont seven weeks earlier.

Russian Greek has won as many races, 10, as the rest of the field combined. He’ll make his first start since being haltered for $25,000 out of a ninth-place finish here on Feb. 5. He figures to assure an honest pace along with Speightful Song, who has raced exclusively at Tampa Bay Downs this winter, and The Son Wind, the winner of a conditioned-claiming dash at this seven-furlong distance here Jan. 12.

◗ The impressive debut winner Epping Forest likely will vie for favoritism with What’s In A Kiss in the 11th race, carded at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf for 3-year-old fillies.

Trained by Christophe Clement, Epping Forest has not started since launching her career at Belmont Park 10 months ago by rallying to an easy 3 3/4-length triumph going five furlongs on turf. She’ll receive Lasix for the first time.

What’s In A Kiss, who won her maiden in France, has made just one start in this country, finishing a slow-starting third at 3-2 for trainer Chad Brown here on Jan. 21.