Turf racing focus of solid card

Rain is in the forecast for much of this week in South Florida, but that might only mean the occasional shower to cool things down. It’d be nice if mostly dry conditions prevail during the Friday card at Gulfstream Park, given the abundance of racing scheduled for the grass.

Not only is the race-8 headliner a turf sprint, but two secondary features (races 6 and 9), both for Florida-breds, also are slated for the grass. They’re all carded on the back end of a solid nine-race program that starts at noon Eastern and are therefore part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 4-9).

Race 8 is a first-level allowance with a maximum purse of $48,000 (including $7,000 for eligible Florida-breds). Swirling Candy figures as the one to beat in a field of 3-year-old fillies, given the way she won for this same condition on May 29 in her first start off the Jose D’Angelo claim.

In all, 13 are entered, but three of those are main-track-only designates. Song River, Fly On Angel, and Poseidon’s Passion look like the top threats to Swirling Candy.

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Both statebred allowances carry first-level conditions with $20,000 claiming options, $47,000 purses, and oversubscribed lineups of 3-year-olds and upward. Assuming both remain on grass, race 6 has My Point Exactly and the recently claimed Til the End as probable favorites going a two-turn mile, while the race-9 finale could boil down to Good Bye Greg and Cryogenic as the top contenders when dashing five furlongs.

In all, five of the nine Friday races are scheduled for the grass, including two mid-range claimers (races 2 and 5).

Pino back in action

Mario Pino, third among active jockeys in career wins in North America, recently returned to the saddle at Gulfstream after taking the winter off. In fact, Pino won with two of his first four return mounts, both for trainer Wesley Ward, bringing his career win total to 6,942.

Pino said this week through agent Cliff Collier that he had intended to return to his longtime summer base at Presque Isle Downs, but it’s still unclear if the Erie, Pa., track will be reopened for 2020 by its owner, Churchill Downs Inc., as the coronavirus pandemic drags on.

Pino, 58, trails only Perry Ouzts (7,073) and Edgar Prado (7,060) atop the wins list among active riders (statistics are through Monday). Russell Baze is the all-time leader with 12,842.

◗ A number of horsemen who competed primarily at Tampa Bay Downs this winter have shifted base to Gulfstream, including jockey Samy Camacho and trainer Kent Sweezey. Jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. also will begin riding at Gulfstream when Tampa ends its extended meet July 1.