Shea D Summer takes another shot at Competitive Speed in Azalea

Pretty much everything went right for Competitive Speed and everything went wrong for Shea D Summer in the Hallandale Beach, a seven-furlong overnight handicap July 10 at Gulfstream Park.

“Blowing the break badly was Shea D Summer!” were the first words from race-caller Pete Aiello. “She has her back against the wall early.”

Even though she was able to rally from last to make a short-lived lead in midstretch in the Hallandale Beach, the poor start was too much for Shea D Summer to overcome, even as the 13-10 favorite. She faded in the final furlong to finish fourth, while Competitive Speed, racing on Lasix for the first time in 10 career starts, proceeded to win at 2-1.

Now comes a rematch in the $75,000 Azalea, a seven-furlong race that anchors an 11-race Saturday card at Gulfstream in South Florida. Shea D Summer, with Emisael Jaramillo back to ride, will break from post 4 in a field of six 3-year-old fillies when she looks to exact revenge on Competitive Speed, who will have Leonel Reyes back aboard from post 6.

As with all stakes at 1/ST tracks, there is no Lasix permitted in the Azalea. Two starts back, with no Lasix allowed in the June 5 Game Face, Shea D Summer was a gate-to-wire winner, with Competitive Speed along late to be second by 2 1/2 lengths.

Shea D Summer, a Florida-bred trained by Carlos David, is drawn outside the two other fillies who figure to be on the pace with her in the Azalea – Kamar Taj (post 2, Miguel Vasquez) and Restofthestory (post 3, Edgard Zayas). A smoother trip could help her withstand the expected late run of Competitive Speed, whose 4-for-10 mark includes a victory in the Glitter Woman at Gulfstream in early January.

Princess Secret and the Hallandale Beach runner-up, Coach Jer’s Joy, round out the Azalea lineup.

First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern, with the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 6-11) starting at 3:43 and the Azalea going as race 10 at 6:08. A pool guarantee of about $200,000 can be expected for the Rainbow 6, which was forced out last Saturday with more than $2.3 million in new handle.

Preceding the Rainbow 6 is the North Miami Beach (race 5), a $60,000 overnight handicap for turf sprinters. A field of 11 is entered, with Double Crown (126 pounds) and Man of Honor (124), the two highweights, being main-track-only designates. The Saturday forecast calls for a 60 percent chance of rain, so there’s a possibility the five-furlong race might have to be moved to the main track.

If turf racing is a go, then Jack and Noah, making his first start since earning a 97 Beyer in a Saratoga stakes win nearly a year ago, looks like a standout.