Versatile Bolero Bay a deserving favorite
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Bolero Bay, a strong stakes finisher in his last two starts for trainer Michael Yates, will have a decisive class edge in the second race Sunday at Gulfstream Park. The $35,000 starter allowance for 3-year-olds with a $50,000 optional claiming tag is a natural spot for the Florida-bred gelding, who should be near the front in the field of eight.
“He was eligible for that condition, and we decided to pass on running him against older horses in a grass stakes,” Yates said. “Fortunately, this race went for us.”
After winning a $35,000 starter allowance by 4 1/2 lengths in April, Bolero Bay switched back to turf in May and won the $100,000 English Channel, springing a 17-1 upset in gate-to-wire fashion. It was his first start at a mile, a distance he will try again on the turf Sunday.
In June, the gelding returned to synthetic for the $100,000 Not Surprising, where he finished second behind Chicken Dance while earning a career-best 81 Beyer Speed Figure.
“He got beat in his last effort in a stakes and we figured, rather than poke our chest out and trudge forward, let’s take a step back,” Yates said. “This appears to be a little easier spot, although there are no easy spots.”
War World Rocks, a longshot trained by Abraham Gardea, will likely challenge Bolero Bay for the early lead, but the colt has lost his last two races by a combined 58 1/4 lengths and is not expected to have much staying power.
“I would like to think that in the future, [Bolero Bay] would learn to sit off of a horse,” Yates said. “He breaks really sharp and puts himself there, so we haven’t been taking anything away from him. But if he draws the outside and somebody just clearly outsprints him to have the lead, I don’t see that it would be an issue for him to sit off of the pace a little.”
Though he was fortunate to find this condition for his stakes winner, Yates said it will only get tougher to find appropriate spots for the gelding in Florida. His versatility between synthetic and turf, as well as his statebred status, could allow the trainer to squeeze a full campaign out of limited opportunities going forward.
I’m Sam entered trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s barn in the spring after a stint on synthetic and dirt for Daniel Hurtak. He finished second in his first two starts for Joseph and will run on turf for the second time Sunday.
Timshel, who defeated I’m Sam in a $35,000 starter allowance in May, switched to synthetic in the Not Surprising and finished 18 lengths behind Bolero Bay. He has won 2 of 3 starts on turf for trainer Kathleen O’Connell.
Justin Smiles finished behind Timshel and I’m Sam in May and then ran sixth behind Bolero Bay in the Not Surprising the following month. He will follow the crowd again for trainer Joe Orseno.
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