Xy Speed, a 9-year-old gelding trained by Michael Lerman, will break from the rail in the eighth race Thursday at Gulfstream Park, a $58,000 turf allowance. The five-furlong race will be an opportunity for him to bounce back from a handicap defeat in early April that Lerman believes the gelding should have won if not for a brutal trip. “We’re just trying to put all that behind us last time, otherwise he would have another win,” Lerman said. “He’s doing very well. He’s as classy and happy a 9-year-old as can be.” Typically one to close from off the pace, Xy Speed broke sharply last time out and dueled between horses in a three-way fight for the early lead. The gelding has displayed more gate speed recently, and Lerman and jockey Paco Lopez decided to take advantage of his adaptable running style. In this case, however, going to the lead left him without running room on either side for much of the race. Forced to run in tight formation, Xy Speed was guided out slightly by the runner inside him in the stretch and bumped the eventual winner, 4-year-old gelding Superpower. That closing runner then moved back inside and bumped Xy Speed harder, which might have cost him the race. The three-quarter-length defeat is still a sore spot for Lerman, who has trained the gelding to six victories in his last 18 starts. In 2022, Lerman worked closely with Clear Stars Stable and trainer Richard Schosberg when they claimed Xy Speed for $32,000 at Saratoga. :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Since taking over as the gelding’s trainer in 2023, Lerman has shipped him north several times but intends to keep him at Gulfstream for the foreseeable future. “Last year, he got rained off three times at even money, so I’ll have to pick my spots as need be,” Lerman said. “For now, he’s home, and as long as races fill for him and he can continue to stay home, he will at this point in his career.” The stakes-winning gelding won an $83,000 allowance in February when he came from off the pace to win by 2 1/4 lengths. In Thursday’s field of eight, Lerman expects him to work out a similar stalking trip behind the leaders. He is the 5-2 favorite on the morning line and will take on three horses he beat last time out. Reef Runner, a 4-year-old colt trained by David Fawkes, was the inside runner in Xy Speed’s costly duel last time out and finished third, a nose behind Xy Speed. He’s the 3-1 second choice on the line Thursday. The classy runner just missed in the $107,000 Silks Run in March and also should stalk the early leaders this time around. A pair of 5-year-old geldings, Bring Theband Home and Souper Quest, are the likely pacesetters. Bring Theband Home gave Xy Speed early trouble on the outside last time out before fading to fifth. Souper Quest was a favored front-runner in the Silks Run in March but weakened in the stretch and finished fourth. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.