Monty Haul, Gryvon meet in sprint feature
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Monty Haul and Gryvon, each coming off an impressive victory during the winter meet, will vie for favoritism and face seven other optional-claiming rivals in Thursday’s $42,000 main event at Gulfstream Park, carded at seven furlongs.
Monty Haul forced the pace before edging away to a 2 1/4-length victory under similar two-other-than optional-claiming conditions going a mile March 14. Trained by Eddie Coletti, he earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure. The victory was the 10th in 25 career starts for Monty Haul, who was claimed for $40,000 last summer at Parx and transferred to Coletti’s barn here last winter.
Gryvon has won two of three starts since joining trainer Jorge Navarro’s stable this past winter. His latest victory was a four-length decision over Manhattan Johnnie, who flattered the effort by winning an allowance race at Belmont on Saturday. Trev, the third-place finisher from the race, also returned to win his next start.
Black Diamond Cat need only finish fourth or better to eclipse the $500,000 mark in earnings. Now 8, the son of Wildcat Heir is winless over the past year and a half, although he did turn in a huge effort two starts back when finishing second behind Tarpys Goal. He earned a 98 Beyer in the seven-furlong race Feb. 25.
Thursday’s feature will be the penultimate leg of the Rainbow 6 sequence, which features a carryover of $130,294. There will be a mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 jackpot on Friday.
Key Contenders
Monty Haul (Last 3 Beyers: 92-86-81)
◗ He continues to progress from a Beyer standpoint, having improved with each of his last four starts.
◗ His work tab has been limited since his last race, although he’s always been a horse who produces a lot more in the afternoon than he does in the morning. The six furlongs he breezed in 1:17.40 on March 2 was little more than a maintenance move.
Gryvon (Last 3 Beyers: 95-59-82)
◗ The 95 Beyer he earned for his victory April 4 was by far the best of his career, although he did race out in the best part of the track, away from the dead rail.
◗ He has had seven weeks off since that effort.
Black Diamond Cat (Last 3 Beyers: 70-98-71)
◗ His last victory came in the Montbrook Stakes on Sept. 14, 2013. It was the second of two straight stakes wins and the third of four over a 13-week period for him, including the Ponche Handicap at Calder.
Kings Over (Last 3 Beyers: 82-71-91)
◗ He has made just one start in five months – a second-place finish as the odds-on favorite against an average group of midlevel conditioned-claiming types going a mile March 18.