R Sweet Exchange to show the way in turf sprint

R Sweet Exchange looks like the one to catch and beat in a first-level allowance for Florida-bred fillies and mares that anchors a 10-race card at Gulfstream Park West on Friday. The five-furlong turf race drew 10 horses and has a $16,000 claiming option. Despite being eligible for the first-level conditions, R Sweet Exchange is in for the price.

Post time for the first race is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Trained by Ralph Ziadie, R Sweet Exchange comes into the race with two wins in her last three starts. Sandwiched between her front-running victories in $10,000 claiming races at Gulfstream Park was a sixth-place finish in a race with the same conditions as Friday’s race.

It is a race that is easy to ignore. R Sweet Exchange wants to be involved early, and she didn’t break as sharply as usual. When she tried to get into the race, she was pretty much eliminated, checking sharply before dropping back to last.

The speed of the speed, she could be hard to run down if she breaks alertly from post 3 with Emisael Jaramillo riding again.

It is hard to say how Grace Appeal will run in her first start in almost six months. She hasn’t raced since she won a first-level allowance for 3-year-old fillies with a $75,000 claiming option at Gulfstream Park on May 11. Trained by Armando De la cerda, Grace Appeal sat just off the pace in the five-furlong turf dash and could get a similar trip Friday. However, her three-furlong work at Gulfstream Park West on Monday is her only published move since June.

Grace Appeal will break from post 7 with Jose Batista riding. Batista guided her to the win in her last start.

KEY CONTENDERS

R Sweet Exchange, by Adios Charlie
Last 3 Beyers: 80-48-79

◗ Her Beyer Speed Figures in her wins July 16 and Sept. 20 stand out, and it is easy to toss out her race at this level Aug. 6. Catch her if you can.

Grace Appeal, by With Distinction
Last 3 Beyers: 76-70-73

◗ Alleviating some of the concerns regarding her lack of activity is the Formulator Fact that over the past five years De la cerda has a respectable 15 percent strike rate with horses coming off a layoff of 180 days or longer.

Mojo’s Queen, by Leroidesanimaux
Last 3 Beyers: 69-75-67

◗ She won going 5 1/2 furlongs in a $40,000 claiming race for nonwinners of two at Saratoga on Aug. 17, then weakened late in a quickly run six-furlong starter race on turf at Belmont on Sept. 22.

◗ Trained by Ralph Nicks, she could be dangerous from a stalking position with Javier Santiago riding.

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