Sachem Spirit will need to summon his speed in turnback

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – The well-traveled Sachem Spirit may have found himself a home at Gulfstream Park, turning in a career-best performance winning his local debut here earlier this month. As a result, Sachem Spirit will be wheeled back on relatively short rest to face eight rivals in Wednesday’s feature event, a $50,000 allowance race with a $62,500 claiming option, to be decided at 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf.

Sachem Spirit had made his first 13 starts at six different racetracks before moving into trainer Eddie Kenneally’s barn and shipping to south Florida for the winter. He made his Gulfstream Park bow for a $50,000 claiming tag on Jan. 9 and responded with a huge effort, overcoming a slow start and wide trip before pulling away to a two-length victory while earning a lifetime-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Although he rallied from near the rear of the pack to win his last start, Sachem Spirit has the speed to sit closer to the pace if he breaks cleanly on Wednesday. That is an asset he’ll likely need turning back a furlong in distance and breaking outside with such a short run to the first turn in races carded at 7 1/2 furlongs at this track.

Dangerous Lad and Hothersal may prove the ones to beat. Dangerous Lad also has shown the ability to run well wherever he goes, having raced five times over five different turf courses from July 27 through Dec. 18 when he closed out his 2014 campaign when finishing fourth, beaten just two lengths, under similar conditions as Wednesday’s main event.

Hothersal has not started since being haltered from trainer Todd Pletcher out of a $30,000 conditioned-claiming race on the turf here nearly a year ago. The veteran son of Smart Strike proved competitive on several occasions in similar mid-level optional claimers over this course earlier last winter.

First Cornerstone and Coastline, both of whom have had Grade 1 experience, return off extended vacations. First Cornerstone has started just once in this country and not since finishing far back in the Grade 1 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington during the summer of 2013. Coastline, 10th last spring in the Grade 1 Blue Grass at Keeneland, has been away since finishing a well-beaten sixth behind Bobby’s Kitten eight months earlier in the Penn Mile.

KEY CONTENDERS

Sachem Spirit (Last 3 Beyers: 90-85-85)

◗ He reunited with jockey Corey Lanerie for his latest victory, the pair having teamed up to produce the 6-year-old’s entry-level allowance win at Keeneland almost three years earlier.

Dangerous Lad (Last 3 Beyers: 90-88-83)

◗ He continues to progress from a Beyer standpoint, and like Sachem Spirit, he posted a career-best effort with a 90 Beyer in his most recent start.

Hothersal (Last 3 Beyers: 88-85-90)

◗ The Jason Servis barn owns above-average numbers off the claim but just average marks with horses returning from layoffs of six months or longer.

Theros (Last 3 Beyers: 83-74-67)

◗ This lightly raced, well-bred colt should improve making his second start off the layoff, but will have to take another step forward Beyer-wise to compete with the top trio.