Rich card has eight starter stakes for Claiming Crown hopefuls

Eight starter stakes totaling $300,000 anchor an excellent 10-race card at Gulfstream Park West on Sunday. The races serve as preps for the $1.1 million Claiming Crown at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 3.

The $50,000 Al’s Dearly Bred, a $25,000 starter for 3-year-olds and up, kicks off the stakes festival at 12:35 p.m. Eastern. Procurement, Aire Bueno, and Class and Cash are the main contenders in the 1 1/16-mile turf race.

Successful Native, who received a 97 Beyer Speed Figure in each of his last two starts, looks like the one to beat in the $50,000 Stage Player in race 7. The $25,000 starter for 3-year-olds and up going five furlongs on turf drew 10 horses.

Trained by Aubrey Maragh, Successful Native is coming off a front-running win in the $309,997 Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint on Sept. 3. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint produced two next-out winners, and runner-up Hogy earned a 96 Beyer when he finished second in the Grade 3 Woodford at Keeneland in his next start.

In his previous race, Successful Native finished second to the multiple stakes winner Long On Value in the $100,000 Lucky Coin at Saratoga on July 6.

He drew post 6, with Rajiv Maragh riding. Maragh, who was seriously injured in a spill at Belmont Park on July 10, 2015, was to begin his comeback at Aqueduct on Friday.

Doctor J Dub looks like the main threat. The Jena Antonucci trainee took them all the way in the Grade 3, $300,000 Turf Monster at Parx Racing on Sept. 5.

KEY CONTENDERS:

Successful Native, by Successful Appeal
Last 3 Beyers: 97-97-83

◗ The versatile 5-year-old broke sharply and never looked back in his latest win over a tricky course at Kentucky Downs. However, with plenty of other speed in the field, he likely will resort to his usual style of coming from a stalking position.

Doctor J Dub, by Sharp Humor
Last 3 Beyers: 83-75-84

◗ He likes this course, and the last time he ran in Florida, he paid $58 for winning the $75,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park on July 2. Finishing a troubled third as the 3-2 favorite in the five-furlong dash was Successful Native.

Padilla, by With Distinction
Last 3 Beyers: 91-87-57

◗ Also trained by Maragh, he hasn’t raced since he finished a close fifth in the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Turf Sprint at Gulfstream on Jan. 16. Nonetheless, he has run well coming off a layoff in the past, and the deep closer will appreciate the shape of the race.

DRF FORMULATOR FACT: Maragh hasn’t won with the last four horses he’s brought back from a layoff of 180 days or longer, but two just missed while finishing second, and another finished third.