South Africa likely to be heard from on return to statebred company

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – South Africa, overmatched in a pair of open-company allowance races since returning from a layoff, drops back in with New York-breds in a second-level allowance/optional $45,000 claiming race that serves as the Friday feature.

From October 2020 through March 2021, South Africa had three wins and two seconds from six starts. One of those wins came last February in this condition, albeit via disqualification. Following a third to stablemate My Boy Tate in the Haynesfield Stakes on March 28, South Africa went to the sidelines. Since his return, South Africa has run twice, getting used up in a speed duel in October and finishing seventh with a troubled trip in December.

South Africa will have hot-riding seven-pound apprentice Jose Gomez up for trainer Michelle Nevin on Friday.

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Kendrick Carmouche, who had been the previous rider for South Africa, winds up on Bustin Shout, the 2-1 morning-line favorite who has won this condition twice, once on turf, once in the slop. He is trained by Bruce Levine.

Scocciatore won this condition by nine lengths in an off-the-turf event at Saratoga in August. He finished fifth in the same Oct. 21 race in which South Africa was sixth. Scocciatore makes his first start since then. He is trained by Chris Englehart.

◗ Happy Medium, a winner of three straight, was entered to make his stakes debut in Saturday’s the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan Stakes at seven furlongs. There were six entered against him: Chateau, Hopeful Treasure, Repo Rocks, War Tocsin, Drafted, and Penguin Power. Penguin Power is cross-entered in Saturday’s $100,000 Fire Plug Stakes at Laurel Park.