Merlin ready to come out running in first juvenile race of season at Gulfstream

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Who will be the dominant force, the barn to watch, when 2-year-old racing begins locally this year on Friday?

While trainer Wesley Ward would be the most logical response to that question, the answer, if what transpired here last spring is any indication, will be Arindel and trainer Juan Alvarado. They combined to sweep the first two juvenile races decided at Gulfstream Park in 2020 with Quinoa Tifah and Gatsby, with those victories coming at the direct expense of a couple of odds-on Ward favorites that included future Breeders’ Cup winner Golden Pal.

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Alvarado will send out the Arindel homebred Merlin as one of the favorites in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight dash that goes as the second race on Friday. The race drew a field of seven, including three fillies.

Like Gatsby, who ran down Golden Pal to win at first asking here a year ago, Merlin is a son of Brethren. Merlin comes into the race with nine works, more than double the morning experience of any of his six rivals. Merlin’s last four works came at Gulfstream, highlighted by a promising 48.00-second half-mile on April 4.

“Hopefully the trend from last year will continue Friday,” said Brian Cohen, son of owner Alan Cohen. Brian Cohen and Alvarado oversee Arindel’s local contingent. “Merlin has been showing early speed and he’s a full brother to Genghis, who was quick and just got beat in his first start going 4 1/2 furlongs a couple of years ago. He’s done everything right, drew a nice outside post, and I expect he should be very tough.”

Cohen admitted that while both Quinoa Tifah and Gatsby also were doing well coming into their debuts last spring, he never expected them to defeat the highly touted and heavily backed Ward beginners. Golden Pal capped off his 2-year-old campaign with a victory in the BC Juvenile Turf Sprint.

“Quinoa Tifah we figured would get better the further she went,” Cohen said. “Gatsby, we knew he was fast, but to beat a horse like Golden Pal . . . whether turf or dirt, he still beat a Breeders’ Cup champion. The one edge our babies do have is that they come in fit and well prepared for their first start.”

Cohen did acknowledge this season will be a bit different than last as far as the Arindel youngsters are concerned.

“Last year we had so many ready to run at this point they were kind of running on top of each other,” Cohen said. “This year we don’t have as big a crop, around 20 at the moment between here and the farm, and we’re being a little pickier about who we send down for the early races. The one thing we are very proud of is the fact most of the 2-year-olds we have run in these early maiden races are still competing two and three years later. Horses like Cookie Dough, who went on to become a Grade 3 winner later in her career.”

Three turf allowance races

Although the babies will garner plenty of attention Friday, there are also three allowance races on the program, all scheduled for turf. Race 3 is for fillies and mares going 7 1/2 furlongs; race 6 for 3-year-olds going five furlongs; and race 8 for older Florida-breds going 1 1/16 miles.

Trainer Jena Antonucci, who’ll send out Laki Lio against Merlin in the juvenile event, will start the speedy Dr. Duke among the likely favorites in race 6. Dr. Duke is one of three members of the field exiting the Texas Glitter four weeks earlier, along with Omaha City and No Que No. All three are getting back on Lasix after being forbidden to use the bleeder medication in the stakes.

The most intriguing member of the field could be the lightly raced Bright Devil, who makes his first start since finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Futurity at Belmont Park for trainer Mark Casse while making his U.S. debut last October. Bright Devil, who launched his career winning a maiden race at Newmarket during the spring of his 2-year-old campaign, will race on Lasix and be equipped with blinkers for the first time Friday.

Last-out winners Dassult Mirage, Naco, and U.S. Steel complete the very well-matched lineup in a race that should feature a very honest pace scenario.

The once stakes-caliber Kroy is likely to be favored to repeat his victory under similar conditions here last month in the eighth race while making his first start for trainer Carlos David, who claimed the speedy 7-year-old out of a wire-to-wire two-length triumph March 18.

Dominate Themoment and Freedom Matters finished second and third behind Kroy on March 18 and will have another go at him in a field that also includes last-out winner Zero Gravity, Til the End, Max K.O., Totono, and Treasure Run. Honolulu Express is entered for the main track only, although there is little chance of rain in the forecast.

Race 3 drew a familiar group of statebred fillies and mares, with four-time winner Lookinlikeaqueen perhaps deserving of top billing while in for the optional $20,000 claiming tag. She and Ghostly Beauty, claimed for $12,500 three weeks earlier, could prove the beneficiaries of all the speed signed on, including Real Doozie, Josefa, and Daddy’s Joy.