Pair of invaders head turf feature
Following a soggy weekend, local horsemen are hopeful the turf course will be open for business again for Thursday’s program, none more so than the 13 trainers who have entered fillies in the afternoon’s main event, a $41,000 optional-claiming race that has been carded for 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass.
The well-matched field will be led by New York invaders Lady Zuzu and Comet Sixty Two, both having made the majority of their starts and registering all three of their combined wins on turf.
Lady Zuzu gets some class relief, returning to allowance company for the first time since joining trainer Bill Mott’s stable this past summer. The 3-year-old daughter of Dynaformer is the only graded stakes-placed member of this field, having finished third in the Grade 3 Edgewood on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs. She is coming off a seventh-place effort in the Pebbles Stakes at Belmont Park.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 10 Lady Zuzu. Trainer Bill Mott is 56-16-7-7 with a $2.67 ROI over the past five years in two-turn turf races at Gulfstream Park with John Velazquez aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Comet Sixty Two has shown improvement since being haltered for $40,000 in the interests of owner Michael Dubb this summer at Saratoga. Trained by Chad Brown, Comet Sixty Two turned in her best career effort two starts back when rallying to a popular three-length starter-allowance victory at Belmont for which she earned an 87 Beyer Speed Figure.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 8 Comet Sixty Two. Trainer Chad Brown is 141-43-34-14 with a $2.01 ROI over the past five years in two-turn turf races at Gulfstream Park with Javier Castellano aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
Other logical contenders, all of whom are at their best on turf, include Giant’s Jewel, Silvery Starlet, and Enthusiastic Girl.