Stirling Drive, Royal Urn head field in turf allowance

Stirling Drive, proven on turf, and Royal Urn, who will be trying grass for the first time, appear to be the main players in a first-level allowance race for 2-year-olds that headlines the eight-race card Thursday at Gulfstream Park West.

Only 12 of the 13 horses entered in the 7 1/2-furlong turf dash will start. Hope Again, a winner at 50-1 in his lone start in Great Britain, would add a lot of interest if he did draw into the race. In addition, Union’s Destiny and Chinomado will run if the race is moved to the main track. With a 60 percent chance of showers, that is a possibility.

Stirling Drive didn’t make an impact when he debuted for trainer Milton Wolfson on the Gulfstream Park main track Aug. 4. However, he showed an affinity for grass when he rallied to win a maiden special weight race going 7 1/2 furlongs in his second start. He also proved his victory at 16-1 was no fluke when he finished third in the $75,000 Armed Forces on Sept 29. He was in the mix at the top of the stretch, but couldn’t stay with Louder Than Bombs and Timmy M., both of whom finished with a rush in the one-mile grass race.

Stirling Drive will break from post 4 with Sammy Camacho retaining the mount.

Royal Urn will appreciate the class relief following an eighth-place finish in the Grade 3 Iroquois on Sept. 15 at Churchill Downs.

Trained by Michelle Nihei, he showed a lot of promise when he won a maiden special weight race in his debut Aug. 24, but found Grade 3 company beyond his reach in the Iroquois, in which he showed speed for six furlongs before fading.

Royal Urn is a half-brother to three turf winners, so there is a good chance he will be fine with the surface switch.

KEY CONTENDERS

Stirling Drive, by Verrazano
Last 3 Beyers: 62-54-31

◗ He improved substantially when he moved to turf, and following his impressive maiden win came back with a good effort in the Armed Forces. His Beyer Speed Figures are going in the right direction, and he shouldn’t mind moving back to the distance of his maiden victory.

Royal Urn, by Kantharos
Beyers: 68-59

◗ At least he was in the mix for a while when he was overmatched in the Iroquois, and a couple of sharp interim works show the trip to Kentucky didn’t seem to take a lot out of him.

◗ His breeding suggests he can handle turf, and he should get a nice trip from a forward position.

Miss Unbridled Cat, by Broken Vow
Last 3 Beyers: 58-49-54

◗ The Kentucky-bred filly trained by Henry Collazo is versatile and should be fine rain or shine. She romped in the slop Sept. 2 and then made a strong late move to finish third going a mile on turf in the $75,000 Our Dear Peggy on Sept. 29.