Take Charge Ro ready to fire in second start back from layoff
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A trio of two-turn allowances are featured Friday at Gulfstream Park, although whether the two on grass will go as scheduled will be determined by Mother Nature.
A 60 percent chance of Friday rain following a recent dry spell means the two allowances carded as two-turn miles on the turf (races 5 and 10) might have to become two-turn miles on Tapeta. Turf racing was canceled four of five days last week (Jan. 12-16) as Gulfstream officials have been very cautious about course overuse. The other Friday allowance (race 9) goes at a mile and 70 yards on Tapeta.
First post is 12:30 p.m. Eastern. All three allowances are part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 5-10) that will offer a pool guarantee of at least $300,000, assuming the jackpot is not swept Wednesday or Thursday. The Rainbow 6 was last emptied Jan. 13.
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Here’s a quick look at the Friday co-features:
Race 5
Take Charge Ro had a useful warm-up following a layoff of nearly six months when third as the odds-on favorite in a Dec. 10 turf mile and now returns in this $62,000 race for a second-level restriction with three more Palm Meadows turf works under her belt.
“She definitely needed the last one,” trainer Brian Lynch said. “She’s trained on really well, so all systems go for Friday.”
Luis Saez, the leading jockey at the championship meet, retains the mount on Take Charge Ro from post 1 in a field of eight fillies and mares. Ingrassia and Jezebel’s Kitten look like the main threats.
If the rains come and the race has to be transferred, the Augustin homebred Into Vanishing would suddenly become a contender given her prior Tapeta experience. The daughter of Into Mischief won twice last winter on the Tapeta at Turfway Park.
Race 9
Fish Mooney, entered here by Mark Casse for an optional $75,000 claiming tag, owns the most experience on synthetics in this $61,000 first-level race. She could be challenged for favoritism by Sunstrike and Sister Nell in a well-matched group of 3-year-old fillies.
Sunstrike and Sister Nell both exit turf races on opening weekend of the meet in early December. Sunstrike, an Irish import trained by Brendan Walsh, ran sixth as the favorite in her only start in North America, the Wait a While Stakes. Sister Nell was a 14-1 maiden winner for Todd Pletcher in her lone start.
Race 10
Whether this $54,000 finale is run at one mile on turf or on synthetic, there’s a ton of speed signed in the form of Exchange Day, Feast, and Super Design, all stretching out from five-furlong races. A pace meltdown among the field of eight older Florida-breds might favor Timmy M. or Astroturf, both exiting mid-range claiming races.