Shea D Summer takes Azalea, Harry's Ontheloose wins North Miami Beach
Shea D Summer lived up to favoritism in emphatic fashion Saturday when drawing off to a 3 1/4-length triumph in the $75,000 Azalea at Gulfstream Park in South Florida.
Prominent throughout the seven-furlong race, Shea D Summer found herself alone in front leaving the quarter-pole, where the previously unbeaten Kamar Taj began to falter after being rushed up to press Shea D Summer following an awkward break. None of the other four 3-year-old fillies mounted a serious challenge thereafter, as Shea D Summer finished in 1:23.11 over a fast track.
Carlos David is the trainer of Shea D Summer, who returned $5.20 with her fourth win from eight career starts. The Florida-bred daughter of Summer Front is owned by the Shea D Boys Stable.
Restofthestory edged Competitive Speed for second. In their prior matchup, the July 10 Hallandale Beach, Competitive Speed emerged the winner after Shea D Summer was unable to overcome a poor break.
The $2 exacta (4-3) paid $40.80, the $1 trifecta (4-3-6) returned $62, and the 10-cent superfecta (4-3-6-2) was worth $18.52.
Harry’s Ontheloose ($23.20) rolls home
Earlier on the 11-race card, Harry’s Ontheloose overhauled favored Jack and Noah leaving the eighth pole en route to a 10-1 upset in the $60,000 North Miami Beach, a five-furlong turf race contested by eight older horses.
Ridden by Leonel Reyes for Imaginary Stables and trainer Elizabeth Dobles, Harry’s Ontheloose finished in 55.92 seconds over firm going in winning for the fifth time in 21 starts. Tiger Blood was a length behind the winner in second, while Jack and Noah faded to fifth as the 17-10 choice.
Imaginary, the nom de course of John Guarnere, claimed Harry’s Ontheloose, a gray 5-year-old horse, for $35,000 in April at Gulfstream. This was the first win in three starts under new silks for the Florida-bred.
*** An eight-race, all-dirt program is on tap for Sunday (first post, 12:50 p.m. Eastern) at Gulfstream, where three-day weekends have become the norm while an overhaul of the turf course and installation of the new Tapeta course continue. A Rainbow 6 pool guarantee of $250,000 is expected for Sunday.