Pure Sensation may be tested in 2018 bow

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Pure Sensation, half of trainer Christophe Clement’s potent turf-sprint duo along with Disco Partner, will launch his 2018 campaign in Friday’s $48,000 optional-claiming feature at Gulfstream Park, carded at five furlongs on the turf.

Pure Sensation, who turned 7 this year, has not started since finishing fifth after setting the pace to midstretch in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. A homebred son of Zensational owned by Patricia Generazio, Pure Sensation was beaten only 1 1/4 lengths by Stormy Liberal in the Turf Sprint, a race he’s now competed in each of the last three years.

Disco Partner, also a Generazio homebred, started his season Saturday at Keeneland with a third-place finish in the Grade 2 Shakertown, but Clement opted to leave Pure Sensation in Florida a bit longer.

“Pure Sensation is a very fast horse and I thought it was a good idea to keep him in Florida,” Clement said on Wednesday. “The track at Gulfstream has been very fast and should suit him nicely. He’s had a very good winter and hopefully he’ll still be as good this year at 7 as he was last season. He’s training very well, although you really have to run them to find out.”

Pure Sensation won 2 of his 6 starts in 2017, with the victories coming in a pair of Grade 3 races at Parx. He has had only one previous trip over the local strip, finishing fifth as the 3-2 favorite in the 2016 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint.

“The plan right now is to take him back up to New York after this race and run him at Parx and Belmont, two courses he’s always done very well over,” said Clement, who plans to keep a string of horses stabled at Payson Park until early May.

Pure Sensation could face a stern test from Focus On Me, who returned from a 10-month layoff to finish a solid second under similar conditions three weeks ago. The outing was just the second on turf for the vastly improved but fragile son of Kantharos. Focus On Me is a 6-year-old with only 11 starts.

“He’s never had anything major wrong, just a lot of nagging injuries, but it’s been frustrating getting him to the races,” said trainer David Braddy. “I’m not sure if he’s better on turf than dirt, although I certainly wouldn’t call him a turf specialist like most of the others in this field. There is definitely a lot more speed in this race than the last one, including the favorite, obviously, so I don’t think we’ll be on the lead this time. I just hope [Pure Sensation] comes back to us.”

An honest pace would enhance the chances of Captain Gaughen, a hard-knocking turf sprint specialist who steps back up in company off a 1 1/4-length victory against $16,000 selling opposition in his 2018 bow on Feb. 14. The confidence-boosting triumph was the first for the 8-year-old veteran since being haltered by owner Michael Dubb and trainer Jason Servis for $62,500 at Belmont Park in May 2016.

Captain Gaughen is one of three members of the field coming into the race off a win, along with Storming My Way and Shoshone Brave, although Storming My Way has posted all four of his victories on dirt. Moonwalker, Fireman Oscar, and Mongo Nation complete the lineup for turf. Harryhee is entered for the main track only.