Una Luna at top of her game for Sunday allowance

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – They’ve saved the best for last Sunday at Gulfstream Park, with a $47,000 allowance carded at about 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf for fillies and mares the finale on a 10-race program that begins at 1 p.m.

The headliner drew 11, including one main-track-only entrant in Puppet Master, whose chances of running appear remote with little chance of rain in the forecast here this weekend.

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Una Luna, coming off a couple of sharp efforts including a second-place finish against similarly conditioned allowance company three weeks earlier, and recent maiden winner Katama Moonlight should vie for favoritism.

Una Luna was beaten a length by the 16-1 La Babia going a mile on turf in her most recent start. La Babia took the lead after six furlongs and held on tenaciously to a clear advantage through the final furlong. Una Luna rallied from midpack after coming wide into the stretch and fell a length short as the 5-2 favorite. In her previous start, Una Luna defeated slightly softer competition, outfinishing Vitaemi to register a hard-fought neck decision.

A horse for the course, Una Luna has registered all six career victories over the local strip while having finished first or second in 13 of her 20 appearances on the Gulfstream turf. She paired 78 Beyer Speed Figures in her last two outings.

Katama Moonlight needed nine starts to finally earn her diploma. She did it in style as the 3-5 favorite one month ago, leading throughout and drawing away to a 4 3/4-length maiden special weight tally. Katama Moonlight posted a career-best 79 Beyer Figure. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., Katama Moonlight will break from the rail and is expected to play catch me if you can once again under jockey Emisael Jaramillo.

Both Charge Account and Come Storming enter the race off a victory. Charge Account defeated $25,000 starter-allowance opposition first off the claim for trainer Kelly Breen while continuing to hold her form well on both turf and dirt. Come Storming steps up in company after registering a half-length decision in a mid-level conditioned-claiming event going one mile on the grass. She was claimed for $35,000 out of the race.

Wicked Mercury, in top form and fresh off a second-place effort against a strong group of $50,000 starter-allowance foes here last month, also is among the key contenders in a well-matched lineup that also includes Perfect Kimberly S, the English shipper Snow Shower in her U.S. debut, Aziza, Furia Vikinga, and Indicia.

Sunday’s secondary feature also is scheduled for 7 1/2 furlongs on the turf while restricted to Florida-bred 3-year-old fillies competing under entry-level allowance conditions. The race lured just six starters, with Big Band Luzziann likely to be favored. Yafa and Jade Empress, who is making her turf debut, are perhaps Big Band Luzziann’s chief rivals.

Big Band Luzziann prompted the pace and finished ninth last time in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs,

Lopez earns hat trick

Jockey Paco Lopez wasted little time picking up right where he left off during the Championship meet when he registered a pure hat trick Thursday, opening day of the spring-summer session. Lopez won races 5-7 on the eight-race card. His wins came aboard Buxom Beast for trainer Georgina Baxter, Something Magical for Anthony Pecoraro, and Gangly in the afternoon’s main event for Bob Hess Jr.

Lopez was closing in on a career milestone, with 2,998 wins through Thursday. Lopez was to ride over the weekend at Keeneland and is scheduled to return locally next Thursday and remain in South Florida until the opening of Monmouth Park on May 28.

Edgard Zayas, who is favored to defend his spring-summer title, got his meet off to a quick start as well, winning a pair of races on opening day, aboard Hercules and the 12-1 Grey Streak.