Order and Law back with tag on dirt
It is a tough call between Order and Law, Brasstown, and Strike Hard, who will square off in a conditioned allowance race Friday at Gulfstream Park.
The one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up has second-level allowance conditions and is open to horses that have not won a race since Nov. 6. Order and Law does not qualify under either condition and will take advantage of the $62,500 claiming option.
The one-mile race drew six horses and goes as the eighth race on a nine-race program that begins at 1:05 p.m. Eastern.
Order and Law will be running on the main track at Gulfstream for the first time. He raced mostly in Southern California prior to running in the Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 18. He never got involved in the 1 1/8-mile race on turf, finishing ninth in the 10-horse field for trainer Mike Maker who had claimed him on behalf of Paradise Farms Corp. at Del Mar for $80,000 on Aug. 22.
Order and Law also did not make much of an impact in a $70,000 handicap in his second start at Gulfstream, where he was running on Tapteta for the first time. However, he romped by 4 1/4 lengths going a mile on turf when he dropped into a $50,000 claimer Feb. 24.
Owner-trainer Daniel Pita claimed him for the $50,000, and Pita apparently liked what he saw as he gave Order and Law a shot in the Grade 3, $100,000 Appleton, where he finished seventh in the one-mile race on turf.
Order and Law should be fine with the surface switch. He is a three-time winner on dirt, and the 96 Beyer he received for his win in a second-level allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option on July 21 at Del Mar is the best in his 32-race career.
Order and Law is versatile, which will give jockey Leonel Reyes options, depending on how the 6-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Violence breaks from post 5.
Brasstown wants the lead, and he should get it if he breaks alertly from the inside post with Edgar Perez riding.
The 7-year-old son of Tiznow is stepping up in class after four straight races going a mile in $8,000 starter races that carried a $16,000 claiming option. He took them all the way in his previous two races on March 3 and March 31. He also won on Dec. 31 prior to finishing second when he did not make the lead and chased Trapezoid the whole way Feb. 2.
Brasstown could be long gone, unless American Prince can put pressure on him early.
Strike Hard is the lone sophomore in the field, and he will appreciate the class relief after finishing seventh in the Grade 1 Florida Derby on April 2 for trainer Matthew Williams. This will be his first start against older runners.
The 3-year-old colt by Flashback was an easy winner going a mile in a first-level allowance race that carried a $75,000 claiming option Dec. 5 prior to finishing second in the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man and fourth in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.