Rough Entry getting the hang of it
Rough Entry took nine races to get through his maiden condition, but now the 4-year-old colt knows how to win. In the Friday feature at Gulfstream Park, he’ll be going for his fourth straight victory while trying open company in a first-level allowance for the first time.
Claimed for $20,000 out of an April 30 win by Rohan Crichton for a three-way partnership, Rough Entry is in peak form. The Florida-bred colt has made his way up the class ladder in more restrictive company and now will face five other older horses in a $52,000 main-track allowance that anchors a nine-race Friday card.
Rough Entry, with Jose Morelos riding from post 2, figures as a solid favorite in the eighth race, a 6 1/2-furlong allowance with a $25,000 claiming option. Only Front Loaded (post 4, Samy Camacho) is in for the claiming tag.
Front Loaded and a second Bob Hess trainee, Gangly (post 6, Cristian Torres), look like the top opponents for Rough Entry, along with the comebacking Bellavia (post 1, Angel Arroyo).
The nominal feature is part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6, which spans races 4-9 and will offer a guaranteed pool of $200,000. The Rainbow 6 was last forced out on July 31.
Four of the nine races on Friday’s card are scheduled for turf. A 50 percent chance of showers is in the local forecast.
The weekend highlights at Gulfstream are the $75,000 Benny the Bull and $60,000 Aventura, both on Saturday. Entries for both were to be drawn Wednesday.
Big weekend for Dobles
Trainer Elizabeth Dobles enjoyed a terrific couple of days last weekend, sending out Harry’s Ontheloose and Pudding to win $60,000 overnight handicaps.
Harry’s Ontheloose won Saturday at 10-1 under Leonel Reyes, while Pudding and jockey Chantal Sutherland reeled in the odds-on favorite, Double Crown, in deep stretch to prevail Sunday at 9-2.
Harry’s Ontheloose, claimed for $35,000 in April by the Imaginary Stables of John Guarnere, earned an 89 Beyer. Pudding, claimed for $25,000 by Dobles on her own behalf last month, got a career-high 88 Beyer.
Also held Saturday was the $75,000 Azalea, which Shea D Summer won in dominant fashion with a career-high 80 Beyer. Emisael Jaramillo was aboard Shea D Summer, a 5-year-old Florida-bred mare, for trainer Carlos David.
Jaramillo enters this week tied for leading jockey at the spring-summer meet with Edgard Zayas. Both have 92 wins.