If Not for Luck goes for third consecutive Tapeta win

If Not for Luck has found a home on Gulfstream Park’s Tapeta surface, and will seek his third consecutive victory over it in Thursday’s first-level allowance feature going five furlongs.

Away from the races for 16 months after making his first five starts for Marcial Navarro, If Not for Luck finished second in a $35,000 claimer over the synthetic surface on Dec. 3.

Antonio Pagano, assistant to trainer Carlos Perez, said the reason If Not for Luck ran for a claiming price first time for them was because they couldn’t find another synthetic sprint race to go. Considering the long layoff, Pagano said he and Perez weren’t too worried about the horse being claimed.

“He really likes the competition,” Pagano said. “When he has horses in front, he doesn’t stop until he passes them.”

Following that effort, If Not for Luck won a Florida-bred allowance by a neck on Dec. 21 and then a starter allowance by a neck on Jan. 26. In the latter race, If Not for Luck defeated Seaver, who came back to win a starter at Gulfstream on Saturday, earning a career-best 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Coming out of his most recent win, If Not for Luck worked a half-mile in 46.60 seconds over the Tapeta on Feb. 17. While most works on Tapeta are fast, Pagano said what made this one different was If Not for Luck went by himself as opposed to going in company.

“I was surprised,” Pagano said. “He never breezed that way without company. That day, he did it so easy.”

Jesus Rios rides If Not for Luck from the rail.

The horse to catch will be King Cab, who returns to synthetic after running three straight solid races on dirt, setting the pace, only to get caught late each time.

King Cab has only raced once previously on Tapeta and finished fifth, beaten just one length in November 2022. Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. said the horse was not doing as good then as he is now and that he is expecting a solid effort from the gelding by Noble Bird, who will break for post 6 under Paco Lopez.

“We’re coming towards the end of the Gulfstream meet and if you have an opportunity to run for a $91,000 purse why wouldn’t you?” Plesa said. “The horse came out of his last race 110 percent, why not? You’d certainly think he’d like the five furlongs.”

Nichiren and Souper Success, third and fourth, respectively, out of a starter/optional claimer on synthetic on Feb. 1 are both in with a chance. Two starts back, Nicheron was beaten a head going five furlongs over the synthetic. He was claimed out of that race by Rohan Crichton from Brittany Russell.

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Souper Success, one of two in here from the barn of Fernando Abreu, won a $35,000 claimer over the synthetic two back.

Abreu also sends out Famous Chant, who figures to be running late under Javier Castellano. Treasure King, claimed last out by Nader Moubarak for $20,000, completes the field.

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