Two-year-old racing begins Thursday; new rules in place
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - The first 2-year-old race of the year will take place Thursday at Gulfstream Park when a field of eight fillies go 4 1/2 furlongs under maiden special weight conditions for a purse of $65,000 in the afternoon’s second event.
Included in the conditions of the race are stipulations that none of the horses can be administered Lasix within 24 hours of post time and all starters must have reached their date of birth by the date of the race.
Trainer Wesley Ward, who specializes in 2-year-old races at this time of year, will send out Lime as a likely heavy favorite. Lime is a daughter of Iqhaal, who has already proven to be a fairly prolific sire of 2-year-old debut winners, and a full sister to Lifelong Dreamer, who won his first career start under a $35,000 claiming tag here in May 2016. Lime recently returned locally from Kentucky where she worked a bullet half-mile out of the gate in 47.40 at Keeneland on March 18.
Trainer Juan Alvarado will counter the favorite with a pair of Arindel homebreds, Pretzel and Quinoa Tifah, both of whom have done the majority of their preparation on their owner’s farm in Ocala, Fla. Both did turn in promising gate works upon shipping locally, Pretzel a half-mile in 48.91 on April 9, and Quionoa Tifah in 49.21 four days earlier.
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The remainder of the field is the Jacks or Better Farm homebred Awesome View, Kitten’s Dream, Sophisticurl, Yafa, and Sister Aurora.
The first open maiden race for 2-year-olds will take place Friday, with Ward again likely holding the upper hand with Golden Pal, a son of Uncle Mo who is the first foal by Lady Shipman, runner-up in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. The field also includes First Navy Admiral, a Jacks or Better homebred and younger brother of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Awesome Feather.
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◗ Paco Lopez is named to ride Pretzel in Thursday’s baby race, but his availability will be a game-time decision according to his agent, Corey Moran. Lopez suffered minor injuries when tossed from his mount, Fluent in Sarcasm, immediately after the start of Saturday’s ninth race. Lopez reported swelling in his thumb after the incident. He took off all his mounts on Sunday’s program.
“His thumb was not fractured,” Moran said on Monday. “Paco is banged up, but thinks he’ll be okay. We’ll just wait and see how he is doing on Thursday morning before deciding on his status to ride that afternoon.”