One Hundred Kings has to cut down on errors in second start
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HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – One Hundred Kings got into a bumping incident immediately after the start, switched leads late, raced a bit greenly while lugging in down the stretch, yet was still good enough to win his career debut in impressive fashion earlier this spring. Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. is confident his promising 3-year-old can build off the experience when returning against entry-level allowance and optional-claiming opposition in Friday’s $70,000 main event at Gulfstream Park.
One Hundred Kings not only ran to his 4-5 backing at first asking despite all the trouble, he defeated another highly regarded 3-year-old in the process. Trainer George Weaver’s well-backed No Compromise set the pace and ultimately finished second, far in front of the rest of the field while launching his career. The April 19 race is likely to prove a key six-furlong maiden special weight dash.
“I was confident he’d run well the first time and he ran even better than I thought considering all the little problems he encountered along the way,” said Barboza. “And I really think he has a big future, can be a stakes horse just like his brother Le Dom Bro, who I believe he resembles quite a bit from a physical standpoint.”
Le Dom Bro, by Mucho Macho Man, finished first or second in six of eight starts and was runner-up to Dornoch in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth in 2024.
Barboza has taken it easy with One Hundred Kings since his impressive debut, for which he earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure. He has breezed him just once, a slow three-eighths in 38.20 on May 8, since that outing.
“He’s in good condition, he’s very fresh coming into the race, and I like the fact he’s able to come back again at six furlongs in his second start,” said Barboza. “My only concern is that he drew the one post. I don’t like that. Hopefully he will break alertly. But otherwise, I think he fits very well with this group.”
One Hundred Kings is one of two horses Barboza entered in the race along with Here Comes Leo, who has won both starts since adding blinkers for his 3-year-old debut. Unfortunately, Barboza said the horse came up with a little issue earlier this week and will be scratched.
The speedy and vastly more experienced Ramajay is strictly the horse to beat exiting a game third-place finish under similar conditions last month at Tampa Bay Downs. He gave way grudgingly through the final furlong after being hard-used contesting a very lively pace into the stretch. The effort was flattered when Unwritten Rule, who was first across the wire in that event, returned to win the Roar Stakes here in impressive fashion on Sunday.
Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Ramajay posted a career-high 77 Beyer on March 14 when shipping to Colonial Downs to win a maiden race in wire-to-wire fashion.
Both Pardo and Sonic Surge come into this race off maiden wins. Sonic Surge will be making his first start for new connections after being claimed for $35,000 out of a very game maiden tally on March 22. Pardo has been idle since posting a popular 1 3/4-length maiden special weight victory in his only previous outing last October.
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◗ Unwritten Rule made his local and Tapeta debut a winning one in the Roar, rallying from near the rear of the compact lineup to a half-length decision over the odds-on favorite and pacesetter Monster. The Glen Hill Farm homebred by Justify, trained by Tom Proctor, earned a career-best 83 Beyer Speed Figure while crossing the finish line first for the third time in four career starts, giving his rider, Edwin Gonzalez, his third win on Sunday’s card.
◗ The turf course will get a much-needed breather for the foreseeable future with no races written on the turf in the upcoming condition book that runs through June 21. Unfortunately, the final scheduled day of racing on the grass was lost here Sunday after heavy early-morning showers forced management to move all scheduled turf events, including the Roar, to the synthetic Tapeta course.
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