Pletcher hopes history repeats itself in Wednesday feature

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It could be déjà vu all over again Wednesday at Gulfstream Park when trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Sumaya US Stable’s undefeated Ghalia as the favorite in the $48,000 allowance/optional-claiming feature for 3-year-old fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs.

On Sunday, Sumaya US Stable’s unbeaten 3-year-old Malagacy won a similarly conditioned first-level allowance/optional claimer going 6 1/2 furlongs by seven lengths at odds of 1-5. And while Ghalia may not be quite that short a price, she will be a heavy favorite against nine rivals, including two other unbeatens, Bones and Modacious, as well as Sadie Be Good, an impressive maiden winner earlier in the meet.

Ghalia was backed to 3-5 when launching her career Jan. 22 going six furlongs. She did not disappoint, surviving an early speed duel before drawing away to a 6 3/4-length victory for which she earned a 77 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I hope we’ll see the same results Wednesday as we did with Malagacy on Sunday,” Pletcher said. “I thought she ran very well the first time out. It was a pretty straightforward, professional debut. I also felt like it was a fairly easy race on her. She came out of the race mentally and physically as well as I could have hoped, which is why I’m willing to bring her back a little sooner than I normally would.”

While Pletcher believes Ghalia isn’t a need-the-lead type of filly, he expects to see her close up, if not on the pace, again Wednesday.

“The fact she has an inside post means we’ll probably have to protect our position a little bit,” Pletcher said. “I don’t think she has to be on the lead, but we won’t be taking back either.”

Pletcher said he’ll probably look to stretch Ghalia out farther if all works out Wednesday.

“They had a mile race up against this one, and I’d have been happy to run her a mile if it had filled,” he said.

Bones and Modacious each captured their only previous start late at 2. Bones rallied to register a game half-length decision over a sloppy track here Dec. 11. Modacious earned her diploma by nearly seven lengths at Parx Racing for trainer Robert “Butch” Reid on Dec. 26. She subsequently was shipped here for the Grade 2 Forward Gal but had to skip the race after missing a work due to a fever.

Sadie Be Good showed good speed and proved a prompt favorite when drawing off to a six-length maiden win against statebreds six weeks ago. The victory came in her second start and her first while equipped with blinkers by trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Worth Avenue is the only multiple winner in the field, having captured her first two starts by a combined 15 1/2 lengths before suffering her initial setback in her 3-year-old debut Jan. 20. However, all indications are that she is going to be scratched from the main event by trainer Aubrey Maragh after working five furlongs in 1:01 last Saturday.