Intriguing 3-year-olds in allowance feature

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Racing resumes Wednesday following the only dark day of the week with a 10-race card that features a trio of first-level allowance and optional-claiming races, all three to be decided for a purse of $51,000.

The most intriguing of the afternoon’s co-features is the ninth event, carded at seven furlongs for 3-year-olds and what looks like a battle between a pair of recent graduates, Impact Player and Septimius Severus.

Impact Player, a son of City Zip, needed four starts to finally win his maiden for trainer Todd Pletcher, doing so here five weeks earlier when moving forward with the addition of blinkers to outlast courageous first-time starter Projector by a head following a race-long pace duel. Impact Player posted a career-best 91 Beyer Speed Figure.

Septimius Severus was purchased privately by his present connections and turned over to trainer George Weaver after winning his career debut for Charlton Baker on Nov. 25 at Aqueduct. Septimius Severus, by Roman Ruler, rallied from just off the pace to a well-deserved nose decision over the more experienced Thunder’s Honor. Septimius Severus has been training forwardly for his 3-year-old bow for Weaver at Palm Beach Downs.