My Lady James gets back to Tapeta

My Lady James will move back to Tapeta off a win on dirt for Friday’s seventh race at Gulfstream.

“She likes the Tapeta just as well as she likes the dirt, so if I see a race that make sense on the Tapeta, I’m going to use it,” trainer Carlos David said.

The seventh race is a conditioned allowance for fillies and mares at 5 1/2 furlongs and it carries a claiming option of $62,500. It drew a field of seven that includes speed horse Poiema and stalk-and-pounce threat Oh Darlin.

My Lady James made a rare start on dirt in her last start July 7, winning a first-level allowance for a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 87. Earlier in her career, her five wins had all come on Tapeta.

“Every time I tried her on turf, she didn’t like it,” David said. “They’ll say a horse that likes Tapeta will automatically like the turf, but that’s not always the case.

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“I told the guys this summer we’re not going to have a lot of options, so we might as well try her on the dirt and see if she likes it. She trains really well on it, breezes well on it.”

My Lady James, who has tactical speed, will start from post 3. Sonny Leon has the mount for Four S Racing Stable.

“She’s versatile,” David said.

Oh Darlin rallied for second at this level last time and picks up a tad more real estate after racing over five furlongs. Poiema set the pace against allowance rivals in her last start, when third in a 5 1/2-furlong race on Tapeta.

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