Live High Live Low may hold upper hand in rematch

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The first time Themanupfront and Live High Live Low faced each other, as maidens during the Gulfstream Park Championship meet, it was no contest. Themanupfront registered a wire-to-wire, three-quarter-length victory with Live High Live Low a non-threatening eighth after a somewhat eventful trip.

But a lot of water has gone under the bridge since that first encounter. And despite the original result, it may be Live High Live Low that the public sends off favored when the pair meet again Friday at Gulfstream Park in a $61,000 optional-claiming and allowance race to be decided at 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Themanupfront was awarded a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure when earning his diploma at the expense of eight rivals on Feb. 29 in his eighth career outing for trainer Michael Yates. He has yet to run back, posting just four works in the nearly three months that have passed since that victory, including four furlongs in 49 seconds over the main track here one week ago.

Live High Live Low, on the other hand, has run twice since being beaten 11 lengths by Themanupfront when making his turf debut here last winter. He had his best chances compromised in that race after taking up at the break.

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The son of Coal Front has won both of his subsequent starts, dropping in class under a $25,000 claiming tag to graduate by 2 3/4 lengths on March 16 before returning to capture a mid-level optional-claiming and starter-allowance test by 1 1/2 lengths seven weeks later.

A versatile sort, Live High Live Low posted the first of his two victories from off the pace on the grass, the second in wire-to-wire fashion on Tapeta.

Trained by George Weaver, Live High Live Low is the only multiple winner in a field of seven 3-year-olds entered to contest the afternoon’s main event. The group includes Steeler Mischief and Banneker, both of whom have been gelded since their previous starts.

Steeler Mischief returns to the grass for the first time since finishing fifth, beaten just 2 1/4 lengths despite participating in a torrid pace battle, under entry-level allowance conditions last fall at Churchill Downs. Trainer Fausto Gutierrez opted to geld the son of Maximus Mischief after he finished a distant fourth and last as the 6-5 favorite in the scratch-reduced Limehouse Stakes going six furlongs on the main track here Jan. 6.

Banneker has been away since a last-place finish of his own under optional-claiming and allowance conditions over the Tapeta track on March 6. He has failed to hit the board in four consecutive tries since capturing his career debut in impressive fashion over the synthetic track at Presque Isle Downs in September.

El Chato, who finished fourth on May 2, 3 1/4 lengths behind Live High Live Low; Mi Dinero, one of many potential pace factors in the lineup; and the lightly raced Tampa Bay Downs maiden winner Oishi, complete the field.

Juveniles kick off card

Trainer Mark Casse has won the majority of the 2-year-old races decided during the current session, including the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies with Bullet last Saturday. He may have the one to beat again in Friday’s opener when sending out Gangster against six other youngsters going five furlongs over the main track.

Gangster, by Street Sense, is the fourth foal to make the races out of the dam Coming Attraction. Two of his three older siblings already are winners and the third, Whimsically, is stakes-placed having finished third as a 2-year-old in the Grade 3 Miss Grillo.

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Gangster, whose future may ultimately prove to be on turf considering his family history, has worked four times prepping for his debut, including three furlongs in 36.60 from the gate on May 3 at Palm Meadows.

Gangster will likely vie for favoritism with Lou, the only experienced member of the lineup, who finished a distant second as the 4-5 favorite when launching his career in a scratched-reduced field of just four juveniles going 4 1/2 panels two weeks earlier.

Yates also could have a big say in the race, having entered a pair of Shadybrook Farm homebreds, She’s Certified and Mila’s Wish, who have been working in company in preparation for their respective debuts.

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