Princess Fiona a speedy, live longshot in Thursday turf feature

There are a myriad of possibilities in the seventh race at Gulfstream on Thursday. At 10-1 on the morning line, Princess Fiona looks as good as any of the 11 horses entered for turf in the $25,000 optional-claiming race for fillies and mares. Hows My Gold is entered for the main track only.

Trained by Cam Gambolati, Princess Fiona is stretching out to 7 1/2 furlongs following a decent effort at this level going five furlongs on grass March 10. She was close to a moderate pace and held on to finish fourth. Speed has done well over this course recently, and she should be prominent early.

In her previous race, she finished fifth, also while going five furlongs on turf, but she was facing stiff competition. The winner, Miss Matzoball, repeated in the $75,000 Captiva Island.

Princess Fiona drew post No. 3, where Tyler Gaffalione should be able to put her into the race early.

The mystery horse in the field is Dulce Arabe, who is making her first start in North America for trainer Todd Pletcher. In her last start, the Chilean-bred beat a modest field of maidens by 10 1/2 lengths at the Hipodromo Chile on Oct. 9, 2014. The runner-up is still a maiden, and though the third-place finisher won her next start, she hasn’t won since. This will be Dulce Arabe’s first turf race.

Key Contenders

Princess Fiona, by Smart Strike

Last 3 Beyers: 77-70-77

◗ She has the speed to take advantage of her inside post, and the 77 Beyer Speed Figures she earned in two of her last three starts might be good enough to get it done.

Indygita, by Indygo Shiner

Last 3 Beyers: 76-75-82

◗ Her last two wins came going a mile, so she might appreciate the slightly shorter distance after finishing third in a 1 1/16-mile, $50,000 starter race on turf March 17.

◗ Her chances improve if the race gets moved to the main track. Trained by Philip Serpe, she romped in the slop in a $50,000 starter race that was washed off the lawn Jan. 15.

Dulce Arabe, by Speightstown

No Beyers

◗ After finishing 10th in her debut, she came back to easily win her second start in Chile. Her works at Palm Beach Downs have been average, but Pletcher can have them ready to go off a lengthy layoff.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Over the past five years, Pletcher has a 24 percent strike rate and a $2.22 ROI with horses coming back from a layoff of a year or more.