Pacific Gale looks to breeze to second straight win in Hurricane Bertie

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – After going more than two years without a victory before her convincing 2 3/4-length triumph in the Grade 2 Inside Information here earlier this winter, Pacific Gale should take less than two months to get another, when she faces seven rivals in Saturday’s $100,000 Hurricane Bertie. The 6 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares was postponed after failing to fill one week earlier.

The Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie is one of three stakes on Saturday’s 12-race program at Gulfstream Park, which also includes the $75,000 Texas Glitter for 3-year-olds and the $75,000 Melody of Colors for 3-year-old fillies.

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Pacific Gale, who finished second in the 2019 Hurricane Bertie and placed in several other graded stakes during her losing streak, shipped to South Florida off a couple of stakes placings in New York to end her frustrating 2020 campaign. But she looked like a different horse in the Inside Information, settling off the early leaders before exploding to her win in the seven-furlong race. The 93 Beyer Speed Figure she earned is her highest since a 94 for a second-place finish in the Grade 3 Vagrancy in May 2019.

“She’s been a bridesmaid in many a nice race and beaten many a nice horse during that time span without a victory,” trainer John Kimmel said. “For whatever reason, when she came to Florida this year she just seemed to enjoy her training so much. She was breezing extremely well, not pulling up after her work, but carrying her speed all the way back to the half-mile pole afterwards. It was a big difference. It was the best I’d ever seen her train, and then she went out and ran probably the race of her career.”

Kimmel said Pacific Gale has trained just as well since the Inside Information. He has named Junior Alvarado to replace John Velazquez, who rode Pacific Gale to victory last time but will be out of town Saturday.

“She’s doing super well and the extra week shouldn’t make a difference,” Kimmel said. “She picks up six pounds, and while I usually get a little concerned about weight, I don’t think it should be as big a deal sprinting.”

Pacific Gale, who has raced throughout her career in the colors of the late Tobey Morton, makes her first start for her new owners, Holly Hill Stable, in the Hurricane Bertie.

The extra time was a big deal as far as entries were concerned for the Hurricane Bertie, with the race dying with only three horses in the entry box last week but swelling to eight on Saturday. Among the new shooters is the stakes winner Sound Machine, who finished eighth after pressing the early pace in the Inside Information and then third behind Saturday rivals Sonar and Cory Gal in an allowance sprint. Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. opted to give her another chance in a graded stakes after a strong work in company with her Florida Derby-bound stablemate Collaborate on Sunday.

Royal Meghan gets tested for class while bringing a two-race win streak into her stakes debut. She should force the early issue along with Cory Gal, who had captured three in a row before succumbing in the final strides to Sonar in her most recent outing.

Sonar earned a starting berth as well off that last effort, and joins a field that includes the multiple stakes-placed Saguaro Row, recent allowance winner Slam Dunk, and outsider Reluctant Bride.