Libreta, Positively Royal get class relief in sprint feature
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A couple of 3-year-old fillies returning from disappointing efforts in graded stakes in New York will be seeking to regain their best form when clashing in the lone Friday allowance at Gulfstream Park.
Libreta, last of six in the Grade 2 Matron, will square off against Positively Royal, last of eight in the Grade 3 Schuylerville, in the fifth of 11 races on a program that starts at 12:35 p.m. Eastern. A field of six is entered in the $44,000, first-level allowance at six furlongs.
Both fillies were highly regarded in those respective stakes after impressive maiden scores in their previous starts. Libreta, a Godolphin homebred trained by Tom Albertrani, was the 5-2 second choice Oct. 18 in the Matron at Belmont Park, and Positively Royal, trained by Todd Pletcher, was the 6-5 favorite July 24 in the Schuylerville at Saratoga.
“It’s hard to say why our filly didn’t run to expectations that day,” Albertrani said this week from his winter base at the Palm Meadows training center. “Maybe coming back in three weeks was a little quick, I don’t know. We basically regrouped her, and she’s been working really well. We’ve still got high expectations for her.”
Positively Royal also shows an encouraging training pattern, having posted seven workouts at the Palm Beach Downs training center since Dec. 24.
Besides the one allowance, the Friday card also includes one $35,000 starter allowance (race 10) and one maiden special weight event (race 3).
KEY CONTENDERS
Libreta, by Girolamo (Last 3 Beyers: 63-80-64)
◗ A series of nine workouts starting in late November at Palm Meadows followed the brief timeout she was given after the Matron, a race that followed a 6 1/2-length maiden triumph that earned her a field-high 80 Beyer Speed Figure.
Positively Royal, by Bernardini (Beyers: 43-65)
◗ Her apparent potential hasn’t been manifested in those low Beyers, but heavy tote action in each of those first two starts in New York is perhaps a more revealing indicator.
My Dear Venezuela, by Wildcat Heir (Last 3 Beyers: 75-66-44)
◗ This rail-drawn Florida-bred filly has made a nice progression in each of her four career starts and most recently was a 20-1 runner-up behind Lucy N Ethel in the Grade 3 Old Hat.