Peter D drops to starter allowance off stakes win

It is hard to go past Peter D in a $35,000 starter race for 2-year-olds that will serve as Friday’s feature race at Gulfstream Park. There is a $35,000 claiming option available in the about a mile and 70-yard race on Tapeta, but none of the 10 horses is entered for the price.

It goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 12:30 p.m. Eastern.

Peter D, who will break from the inside post on Friday, is coming off a victory going the same distance on Tapeta in the $60,000 Juvenile for Florida-breds at Gulfstream on Oct. 23.

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A son of He’s Had Enough trained and owned by Andry Blanco, Peter D seems to handle any surface. He was well in hand when he won a $25,000 maiden claimer on dirt at Delaware Park in his Aug. 26 debut. He came back with a solid effort when he finished fifth going seven furlongs on turf in the $75,000 Hollywood Beach at Gulfstream, and he was running on Tapeta for the first time when he came from a stalking position to win the Juvenile.

The 71 Beyer he received for his 1 1/2-length win over Mr Rum Runner stands out in Friday’s field, and with plenty of potential speed in the lineup, he should get a similar trip with Leonel Reyes retaining the mount.

Peter D is also the only horse in the field with more than a single win.

Pharaoh’s Prophecy is trending in a positive direction for trainer Michael Maker and he has the pedigree to be a decent horse. His dam, Gold Serenade, never won, but her best race was a runner-up finish on the synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs. Gold Serenade is out of Serena’s Song, who won multiple Grade 1’s and banked over $3.2 million.

A Kentucky-bred son of Pioneerof the Nile, Pharaoh’s Prophecy did not show much when he debuted in a maiden special weight race originally scheduled for turf but run on the main track July 23 at Gulfstream. He took a step forward when he set the pace before tiring to finish fifth going about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf in a $35,000 maiden claimer in his second start on Aug. 15. With Chantal Sutherland aboard, he took them all the way at the same level going a mile on grass Sept. 3.

Pharaoh’s Prophecy will break from post 8 with Sutherland up.

Eye of the Temple is also on the improve. After finishing second as the favorite in back-to-back races, he made amends when he came from a stalking positon to win a $35,000 maiden claimer at Gulfstream with Gaddiel Martinez riding for trainer Antonio Sono. The Kentucky-bred son of Temple City was running over Tapeta for the first time when he won the about a mile and 70-yard race.

Eye of the Temple will break from post 7 with Martinez riding.

Wild Irishman took them all the way in his second start and first on Tapeta in an about a mile and 70-yard $16,000 maiden claimer at Gulfstream on Oct. 16. The Florida-bred son of Chilu will attract some betting support with the popular Paco Lopez riding for trainer David Fawkes.

Fawkes will also be represented by Steel City Dude, who finished well behind Pharaoh’s Prophecy in his debut before winning a $25,000 maiden claimer going a mile on the main track in his second start on Oct. 14.