King of Dreams may control the pace
A couple of first-level allowance races for 3-year-olds that carry a $75,000 claiming option headline the nine-race Gulfstream Park card on Friday. Post time for the first race is 2 p.m. Eastern.
King of Dreams figures to be a short price in the third race, a 1 1/8-mile event that drew six horses for turf and King Cairo as a main-track-only entrant.
The seventh race is a more competitive event where a case can be made for just about any of the six horses entered in the six-furlong dash.
King of Dreams will be tough to catch if he breaks alertly from the inside post with Emisael Jaramillo riding for trainer Juan Avila. Jaramillo was aboard when King of Dreams set the pace before giving it up late to Yes This Time in the $75,000 English Channel on May 8. The pair hooked up at the top of the stretch with Yes This Time edging clear in the final yards to win the 1 1/16-mile race on turf by three-quarters of a length.
The 83 Beyer Speed Figure that King of Dreams was given stands out, and unless Fighting Force finds some of the speed he had earlier in his career, King of Dreams figures to control the race throughout.
A Kentucky-bred colt by Air Force Blue, King of Dreams will appreciate the class relief after running in three straight stakes races. He also will be running on Lasix for the first time since he took them all the way going 1 1/16 miles on turf in his second start in a maiden special weight race on Jan 30.
Fighting Force, trained by Jeff Engler, ran an odd race while finishing fourth in the English Channel. With Mario Pino riding, he broke alertly and was in a good spot early while stalking the speed from along the rail. However, he may not have felt comfortable being inside horses and after dropping well back Pino wheeled him outside where he made a strong late move to lose by a couple of lengths.
Fighting Force, also by Air Force Blue, drew post 5 and could be dangerous while stalking from outside horses.
Where is Paco Lopez when you need him? In the seventh race, Lopez rode five of the six horses entered the last time they raced.
There is a good chance Lopez would have opted for one of the two horses trained by Carlos David. Real Talk is coming off a runner-up finish going seven furlongs with Lopez riding at this level on April 22. Jaramillo will be aboard when the son of Gemologist breaks from the rail.
Mamba On Three moves back to dirt following back-to-back wins in a $25,000 maiden claimer going five furlongs on turf on March 26 and in a $35,000 starter with a $35,000 claiming option on April 30.
In his only other start, he finished second going 4 1/2 furlongs on the main track in a $25,000 maiden claimer as a 2-year-old.
The son of Big Drama will break from the outside post with Samy Camacho replacing Lopez.