Trainer Mejia ends Gulfstream victory drought

After a torturous start to his Gulfstream meet, trainer Jaime Mejia finally found the winner’s circle when Belle Tapisserie won the fifth race Sunday.

Mejia had been 0 for 98 until Belle Tapisserie ($8.40) won the 5 1/2-furlong maiden special race by 2 1/4 lengths, earning an 88 Beyer Speed Figure. The victory gave jockey Jorge Perez his first-ever Gulfstream victory and his first since shifting his tack here from Parx Racing.

Mejia told Gulfstream racing officials that Belle Tapisserie, a 3-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Tapizar, could wheel back here in 13 days by running in the March 3 Fountain of Youth.

Mejia proceeded to run a few more also-rans after Belle Tapisserie, with his record at the Gulfstream championship meet standing at 1 for 104 after Sunday. Long winless streaks are not unfamiliar to him, as he was blanked at the 2014-15 championship meet (37 starts), the 2015-16 championship meet (54 starts), the 2017 summer-fall meet (22 starts), and other meets here and elsewhere. Since his first starter in December 2014, Mejia was 29 for 850 (3 percent) through Sunday.

◗ A $44,000 Florida-bred allowance with a $12,500 claiming option serves as the nominal feature on an 11-race Thursday card that starts at 12:35 p.m. Eastern. Carded as race 10, it’s part of the Rainbow 6 (races 6-11), which had its jackpot surge past the seven-figure mark to $1,072,444 when no solo perfect tickets were sold Sunday.

◗ The coming weekend at Gulfstream will be highlighted by three Saturday stakes, led by the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope in which Irish War Cry will make his eagerly awaited 4-year-old debut. Twin $75,000 turf sprints, the Texas Glitter and Melody of Colors, also are on tap.