Relampago Verde, a 5-year-old gelding, will be anything but green in his new home at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. After making 11 starts for Kenneth McPeek, new trainer Robert Dibona hopes to learn more about the versatile runner in the $70,000 Wildcat Red Handicap. “He’s got some class,” Dibona said. “Horse is prepared well and he’s doing good. I think he could be a little better on the grass, but I’ve got him ready for the race.” Dibona worked with co-owners Michael Iavarone and Sanford Robbins to purchase Relampago Verde for $125,000 at the Keeneland April horses of racing age sale. Dibona said that Iavarone was the one who first spotted the gelding. He made his final start for McPeek in April, finishing third in a conditioned allowance at Oaklawn Park. With prior victories on turf and dirt, Dibona has plenty of options for Relampago Verde going forward. The trainer wants to try the turf again soon, but the Wildcat Red at 1 1/16 miles on dirt lined up well with his training schedule. “This race looked like a good static point with possible goals for Kentucky Downs,” Dibona said. :: Play Gulfstream Park with confidence! DRF Past Performances, Picks, and Clocker Reports available now. His last start on turf was in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes in February, where he finished seventh. His two starts before that were both taken off the turf, limiting his opportunities on the surface. He recently worked in company with Steal Sunshine, the star of Dibona’s stable, and handled himself well alongside the graded stakes winner. Rajiv Maragh has worked with him in the morning and will ride on Sunday. Relampago Verde may be suited to the Wildcat Red, but he’s far from a sure thing in the field of nine. Life Is Precious, a 4-year-old gelding trained by Gerald Bennett, returned to Gulfstream last time out after a long stint at Tampa Bay Downs and finished third in the $75,000 Big Drama. He has finished in the money in 10 straight starts going back to November. Northern Flame, a seven-time graded stakes participant, is one of two colts entered by trainer Bruno Tessore. He and stablemate Manor House are coming off layoffs and looking to bounce back from poor performances. Super Corinto, an Argentinian-bred 7-year-old trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., last won in December 2022 but has only raced six times since. Despite his lack of success in the last 29 months, several trainers have thought highly enough to enter him in graded stakes competition, including Joseph, who put him in the Grade 3 Harlan’s Holiday in December. The Wildcat Red will be his second start back from a layoff of nearly five months. Lure Him In may not enter this handicap with a class edge, but the Sam Wilensky runner certainly has more recent success than most. He is one of two in the field, along with Life Is Precious, who have won two allowances this year. He finished second in a $50,000 claiming race at Churchill Downs last month. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.