Modern Science might be ready to turn the corner in allowance

Modern Science has but one win from 14 career starts, but there was a time – two times, actually – that he came within a neck of winning a stakes.

Trainer Ian Wilkes believes he has Modern Science back to his best form, a theory he hopes the 5-year-old gelding confirms in a first-level allowance/optional $35,000 claimer at 1 1/2 miles on turf that serves as the featured event on Gulfstream’s nine-race Thursday program.

The $86,000 race drew a field of 11, but there is expected to be at least one scratch and a key one at that. Hitting Bombs, a visually impressive maiden winner at 1 1/2 miles here Feb. 8, is expected to scratch to await a similar, more lucrative spot at Keeneland, trainer Brian Lynch said Monday.

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Wilkes was unhappy with the way Modern Science was doing at the end of last summer, and he turned the gelding out for a few months. Modern Science came back in a one-mile allowance at Gulfstream on Dec. 3, raced pretty close to a hot pace, and backed up to last.

Two months later, going 1 1/2 miles, Modern Science came from off the pace to finish second in a spot similar to Thursday’s. He has followed that race with a series of strong works over the Palm Meadows turf course, though Wilkes attributes those bullet drills to the lack of rain creating a firm surface.

Still, Wilkes said “I think I finally got the horse back to where he was early in his career.”

Wilkes said there were a lot of little things going on with Modern Science, most notably, “He struggled to keep weight on.”

“He’s doing good now and he looks great,” Wilkes said.

Julien Leparoux rode Modern Science in his last race, but he opted to ride Hitting Bombs. Wilkes has Joel Rosario on Modern Science.

Wilkes noted that Modern Science raced close to the pace in some of his better races, something he may need to do Thursday in a race without defined speed.

Stat will likely provide part of the pace as trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. experiments with stretching him out from a mile to 1 1/2 miles.

“He relaxes well in front,” Joseph said. “The owner wanted to give it a try. When he’s allowed to dictate terms and get in a good rhythm, he can be dangerous.”

The horse to beat is likely Patou Road, who goes out for trainer Todd Pletcher. Two starts back, Patou Road defeated Hitting Bombs in a 1 3/16-mile maiden race on synthetic. He then came back to finish second to the repeating winner and likely stakes-bound Howe Street in first-level allowance going 1 3/8 miles here March 5.

Patou Road, who breaks from post 8 under Luis Saez, finished 1 3/4 lengths clear of third-place finisher Meyer in that 12-horse field March 5. Meyer, who is a four-time winner, is among the 11 horses entered in this spot Thursday.

Dominate Themoment, a five-time winner with four of those wins at Gulfstream, and Onenightstandards are others to consider.

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