My Sweet Dove making only second start in 18 months

Trainer Ralph Ziadie, second in the standings to Todd Pletcher, has won with 45 percent of his starters at the current Gulfstream Park meet. He has a good chance to pad that stat Thursday when he runs My Sweet Dove in a $25,000 optional-claiming race for fillies and mares.

The five-furlong sprint on turf drew seven horses, not including Fiore, who will start only if the race is moved to the main track.

My Sweet Dove had been off for more than 14 months when she made her first start for Ziadie in a $62,500 optional-claiming race at Gulfstream on Jan. 4. She broke a half-step slowly but quickly recovered, and after forcing the pace, she understandably tired to finish fourth.

She was beaten only 1 1/2 lengths in the five-furlong turf race, and the winner, Pretty Perfection, won the $125,000 Ladies Turf Sprint in her next start with a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. Pretty Perfection proved that her first stakes win was no fluke when she won the $75,000 Captiva Island in her next start March 11.

My Sweet Dove is coming off another layoff, but not nearly as long, and should be in the mix early after breaking from post 6 with Edgard Zayas retaining the mount.

People concerned about a horse with just one race since Oct. 10, 2015, likely will turn to Kingston Terrace.

Trained by Ron Faucheux, Kingston Terrace is coming off a runner-up finish in a similar race in her first start over the Gulfstream turf course April 13. A 10-time winner with $156,685 in earnings, the 7-year-old mare won her previous race on a muddy track for Faucheux and owner Dorby Racing LLC at Fair Grounds in a $17,500 claiming race March 12. She was claimed out of that race by owner and trainer Neil Pessin, but Dorby bought her back, and she raced for the stable April 13.

“She is a difficult horse to train, and they didn’t really want her after they found that out,” Faucheux said. “We bought her back at a good price.”

Kingston Terrace will break from post 3, with C.J. McMahon retaining the mount.

KEY CONTENDERS

My Sweet Dove, by Hello Broadway
Last 3 Beyers: 82-92-80

◗ The versatile 6-year-old is capable of stalking, or she can take them all the way if she breaks on top.

Kingston Terrace, by Johannesburg
Last 3 Beyers: 80-69-73

◗ She’s also versatile, has won more than a third of her starts, and had a good effort in her first start over this course.

Missworldvenezuela, by Cowtown Cat
Last 3 Beyers: 75-78-71

◗ Trained by Ruben Gracida, she will need to improve to beat the top two, but that isn’t impossible for a lightly raced 4-year-old who has been part of the exacta in eight of her 11 starts.