Starship Reina in top form for allowance

MIAMI – Three horses coming off their career-best performances from a Beyer Speed Figure standpoint, Jumby Bay, Starship Reina, and My Cousin Martha, are among the nine starters in a seven-furlong dash for fillies and mares to be decided under first-level optional-claiming conditions on Saturday at Gulfstream Park West.

Saturday’s program is the penultimate card of the 2017 Gulfstream Park West meeting. Racing on the south Florida circuit switches back to Gulfstream Park for the opening of the 2017-18 Championship meeting next Saturday.

For those who prefer recent form to horses exiting long layoffs, Starship Reina will be the preferred choice in this spot. Starship Reina has never been better, having captured her last start by six lengths for owner-trainer Ramon Minguet. That victory came against open $12,500 claiming opposition going seven furlongs here on Nov. 1. Starship Reina has held her form well for several months, having finished first or second in all five starts since being haltered for $6,250 at Gulfstream Park on Sept. 1.

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Jumby Bay will be favored despite the fact she has not started since being nosed out as the 2-5 favorite under higher-level optional-claiming conditions at Tampa Bay Downs on March 4. Jumby Bay is far and away the class of the field, having been stakes placed twice for trainer Todd Pletcher during the 2016-17 Tampa Bay meeting.

My Cousin Martha also returns from an extended vacation, with her last start a fourth-place effort under high-level optional-claiming conditions at Gulfstream on March 10. She received a lifetime best 73 Beyer Figure that day.

Saturday’s card marks the return to south Florida of trainer Jorge Navarro, who has horses entered in six races on the day, including outsider Creative Talent in the feature. Creative Talent earned high marks winning a seven-furlong non-winners-of-two claiming event at Parx on June 6, but was unable to repeat that form in two subsequent starts at Monmouth Park and Penn National. She makes her local bow off a couple of decent five-furlong works here earlier this month.

Cmpleting the field are Doritza, a maiden special weight winner over this strip earlier in the meet, Scatnap, Three Illusions, Stella Performance, and Trudge.

KEY CONTENDERS

Starship Reina by Cowtown Cat
Last 3 Beyers 72-69-69

◗ One of only two 4-year-olds in the lineup, she is the only horse Minguet has started at the meet.

Jumby Bay by City Zip
Last 3 Beyers 73-69-61

◗ Finished second in her only two starts at seven furlongs.

◗ She earned her diploma with an impressive 6 1/4-length maiden tally over a sloppy strip here during the fall of 2016.

My Cousin Martha by Stay Thirsty

Last 3 Beyers 73-63-41

◗ She has trained well for her return, posting a 59.40 five-furlong work at Gulfstream over a “good” track on Nov. 11 and a 49-second half-mile tune-up last Saturday. She finished full of run and galloped out with terrific energy through the wire and around the turn on Saturday.