In race for leading trainer, Rich Mommy can give Barboza a boost

The best race during the final two weeks of the Gulfstream Park summer meeting might be the one for leading trainer.

With little separating Victor Barboza Jr., Ralph Nicks, and Antonio Sano heading into the home stretch, every victory will be precious between now and closing day on Oct. 1. And Barboza hopes to add another notch to his belt in Friday’s featured eighth race when he sends out Rich Mommy as the likely favorite in the 6 1/2-furlong optional-claiming dash for fillies and mares.

Rich Mommy is coming off a second-place finish behind the more experienced Sweet Tooth Haven going six furlongs on Aug. 10. Rich Mommy contested the pace before being run down late by Sweet Tooth Haven, who returned 16 days later to finish third in an overnight stakes. Rich Mommy had won her prior start by three lengths, and Barboza thinks she’s sitting on another big effort Friday.

“I thought she’d win her last race, but the filly who beat her is a nice horse, and our filly had to work hard the whole way,” said Barboza. “And that was the first time she’d ever run against older horses as well.”

Barboza said he believes he has a good chance to top the trainer standings for the summer meet, with plenty of bullets still to fire before the end of the session. Barboza is seeking his first training title since coming to the United States two years ago from his native Venezuela, where, he said, he was a three-time training champion.

Earlier this year, Barboza registered his first graded stakes win in this country when Distinta upset the Grade 2 Inside Information. Distinta was subsequently sold at auction and is with trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Right now, I have 37 horses here at Gulfstream,” said Barboza. “I’m applying for more stalls for the championship meeting, and I’ll have some at Tampa Bay Downs, too, although I’d like to be able to keep the majority of them here if I can.”

Rich Mommy could get tested for the lead on Friday by either Stella Performance or Arty’sbourbongirl, who is returning to a more suitable spot after tiring badly against stakes company. Arty’sbourbongirl has won seven races, the most of any entrant in this field, including four victories this season and three since being haltered for $6,250 by trainer Elizabeth Dobles on Jan. 25.

A contested pace would aid the stretch-running Truge, who rallied from last place to defeat mid-level starter-allowance competition by two lengths going seven furlongs over a sloppy track on July 21.

Diamond Earring, a popular item at the claim box all season, Last Kiss, and Baby I’m Worth It complete the lineup.

◗ Soutache, who rallied to a half-length victory in the seven-furlong Affirmed Stakes on Sept. 2, was back on the Gulfstream Park work tab Wednesday, breezing five furlongs in 1:01.70 for Nicks. Soutache, who wore blinkers for the first time in the Affirmed, will be among the favorites in the $400,000 In Reality Stakes, the finale of the Florida Sire Stakes series, at 1 1/16 miles a week from Saturday.