Hot-riding Saez, combacking He Hate Me team up in allowance
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Luis Saez began the race week at Gulfstream Park in a familiar way – with a hot hand. The 26-year-old jockey who last winter set the record for most winners (137) at a championship meet is slightly ahead of pace to break that mark at the 2018-19 meet, helped by four-win days here Wednesday and Thursday.
Saez has another busy schedule Sunday, when an 11-race card starts at noon Eastern. His sixth and last scheduled mount comes in race 9 with He Hate Me, one of a handful of starters returning from a layoff in the six-furlong race.
Trained by Stan Hough for Sagamore Farm, He Hate Me will break from the outside post in a field of 10 4-year-olds and up in the lone allowance on the card, a $52,000 second-level race with a $62,500 claiming option. Newly gelded since last having raced in mid-April, He Hate Me shows seven breezes since returning to training in Kentucky in the fall. He Hate Me, who won the Tremont at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old, surely will take his share of wagering action for Hough, who was 2-0-1 in four starts this meet going into Friday.
A chance of rain and a high of 71 is in the forecast for the Sunday program, which will be followed by a special Monday card being held because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Tuesday will be dark, then another five-day week will be highlighted by a Saturday card featuring the two Pegasus World Cup events.
KEY CONTENDERS
He Hate Me, by Algorithms
Last 3 Beyers: 76-75-71
◗ Making his first start since being turned over to Hough, he should get a clean stalking trip from the outer box when fresh and eager.
Impact Player, by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers: 56-88-91
◗ This colt, who won maiden and allowance sprints here last winter, also returned to training in Kentucky in the fall and shows 11 breezes for Todd Pletcher toward his first start since running fifth in the Grade 3 Hutcheson in late March.
Dupree, by Caleb’s Posse
Last 3 Beyers: 85-81-63
◗ Claimed for $25,000 in October, this speedy gelding won his lone start in the interim by outfooting slightly lesser for trainer Jorge Navarro.
Piven, by Prospective
Last 3 Beyers: 74-55-86
◗ Winner of the restricted Limehouse here last January, this gelding shows four local works as Kevin Attard tries to get him back in form off a seventh in an optional-claiming sprint at Woodbine in November.
Focus On Me, by Kantharos
Last 3 Beyers: 82-70-70
◗ One of three in here entered for a $62,500 claiming option, this rail-drawn 7-year-old already has a couple of decent tries at this meet, including a second at this level going seven furlongs in his last start.
