Lightening Larry must contend with other speed in allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Lightening Larry, a Grade 3 winner in May but off the board in his two subsequent starts, will drop back to allowance company for just the second time in his career when he faces seven rivals in Saturday’s $52,000 main event at Gulfstream Park. The six-furlong dash is the second of two allowance races on a card, the first of which is for Florida-breds going 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta.

Lightening Larry opened his 2022 campaign winning the Limehouse Stakes here on New Year’s Day for trainer Jeff Engler. He was then transferred to the barn of Jorge Delgado. In his second start for Delgado, he posted three-quarter-length triumph in the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico on the Preakness undercard. He then was fifth in the Jersey Shore at Monmouth Park and ninth in the Grade 2 Gallant Bob at Parx Racing, weakening after contesting the pace into the stretch in both races.

Lightening Larry, who has been working forwardly for his return, will be taking on older horses for the first time Saturday with regular rider Chantal Sutherland aboard.

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The pace figures to be lively, with another fleet 3-year-old in Dean Delivers in the lineup. Dean Delivers, second in the Grade 3 Swale here in February, posted back-to-back allowance victories here in summer. He earned a career-best 98 Beyer Speed Figure in the first of those, easily defeating statebred company July 15. Dean Delivers finished 2 1/2 lengths behind Lightening Larry in their only meeting, the Sophomore Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in March.

The projected pace scenario could favor older horses Thinkaboutit and No Que No. Thinkaboutit rallied to capture a similar allowance test here July 24, registering a career-high 90 Beyer. No Que No has been freshened since checking home seventh going seven furlongs here Sept. 4. He finished a late-striding third, less than a length behind winner Thinkaboutit, in an allowance here July 24.

There also figures to be no lack of speed on display in the co-featured seventh race.

Avant Glory is among those likely to try for the early lead breaking from the rail, although the lightly raced 3-year-old has never competed over a synthetic strip. Avant Glory exits a heart-breaking second-place finish behind the red-hot Septemberten, blowing a long lead through midstretch and dropping a nose decision going seven furlongs over the main track five weeks ago.

Big Daddy Dave, who also is entered against open company Friday, projects to be with the early leaders if he runs in this spot. So, too, do Heals the Soul and Jet Wings, a wire-to-wire maiden special weight winner over this surface in his last start. J P Hellish, who set the pace going two turns in his last three starts, shortens up in distance and could be sitting on a big effort coming off the claim for trainer Jose D’Angelo.

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