Maraud among the notables in high-quality turf allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – They’ve saved the best for last Wednesday at Gulfstream Park, where a stakes-caliber field will meet under allowance and optional-claiming conditions going 1 1/16 miles on the turf for a bargain $58,000 purse in the finale of a 10-race program. The main event also serves as the final leg of a Rainbow 6 sequence offering a guaranteed jackpot of $800,000.

Among the top contenders in the race is Maraud, who has been Grade 3-placed in each of his last two starts including the Tropical Turf here Jan. 11. That day, he was beaten three lengths by Tusk while making his first start since finishing third in the Grade 3 Red Bank on Sept. 1 at Monmouth Park. Maraud is currently trained by Joe Orseno, who received the Grade 2 winner from Carlos Martin just prior to the opening of the 2019-20 Championship meet.

“I got him from Carlos right around Thanksgiving with the intention of running him down here in some stakes,” Orseno explained. “I was real happy with his last start because I thought he really might need a race. He kind of hung on his left lead a little bit through the stretch and he got tired. I thought about taking him to Tampa for the stakes last weekend, but I saw this race in the book and decided to just stay here and hope it goes. It’s not an easy spot, but it’s a good spot for him, probably easier than the graded race at Tampa, and I’m glad to be in there with him. I think he’s coming in better than the first race here, and if I’m right he should step up and run well.”

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Maraud, whose last victory came in the Grade 2 American Turf for trainer Todd Pletcher in May 2018, will face a field that includes graded stakes winners Frostmourne, Ballagh Rocks, and Projected amongst a well-matched group of a dozen grass specialists. The graded stakes-placed Realm has been entered for the main track only.

Projected and Frostmourne finished second and fourth, respectively, behind Gemonteer under similar conditions going 7 1/2 furlongs here Dec. 11.

Projected was boxed in through the stretch before rallying to finish second once clear when making his first start since being transferred to trainer Eddie Kenneally during the fall. Projected brings a 13-race losing streak into Wednesday’s event, although he has been graded stakes-placed on several occasions during that span.

Frostmourne disappointed as the 4-5 favorite after racing rankly in the early stages here Dec. 11 while returning to Gulfstream Park for the first time since winning a similarly conditioned event in March 2018. Chrisophe Clement trains the homebred for Green Lantern Stables.

Ballagh Rocks is another looking to snap a long winless streak that dates back to his neck decision over Projected in the Grade 3 Poker decided over a yielding course at Belmont Park in June 2017. Ballagh Rocks returned from a 7 1/2-month layoff to finish a close third against optional-claiming opposition here just 23 days ago.

War Giant is sure to receive ample backing making his first start since joining the high-percentage barn of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. He could prove the controlling speed in this lineup while making only his fourth lifetime start on grass.