Vindicate Cha Cha looks to stay hot on Tapeta

There’s a better-than-average chance a daughter of Adios Charlie will win the seventh race Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Adios Charlie is the sire of four of the seven fillies making up the field for the $35,000 starter allowance, and one of them, Vindicate Cha Cha, could go favored. The group of 3-year-olds will be traveling five furlongs on Tapeta.

Adios Charlie won the Grade 2 Jerome in 2011 at Aqueduct. He stands in Florida.

“I was around him before he ever went to the races,” said Michael Lerman, who trains Vindicate Cha Cha. “He’s been a very useful stallion in Florida. He gets nothing but runners.”

Vindicate Cha Cha is one of the winningest members of Sunday’s field with a 3-for-7 record. She’s landed in the winner’s circle in three of her last four starts, with the wins all coming since moving to Tapeta for her fourth career start in April.

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“The first thing people might think is that it was the synthetic track that turned her around, but it really wasn’t,” Lerman said. “It was more about mental maturity. She’s mentally matured and gotten better each time she’s run.

“I’m not afraid to run her on the dirt, but I don’t want to mess with success. As long as she’s running well, we’ll keep her where she’s at.”

Vindicate Cha Cha won her maiden from a stalking position, then wired her rivals in a pair of starter allowances in June and July. Her most recent win came at 5 1/2 furlongs. She could get a tracking trip under Emisael Jaramillo, who has the mount from post 6.

“There’s a little more speed in there this time,” Lerman said, “and I think the turnback to five-eighths and the fact that she’s outside the other speed will really help her. And, she’s steadily gotten better.”

The other daughters of Adios Charlie in the race are Welcome Back, winner of last year’s Desert Vixen division of the Florida Sire Stakes; Fields of Green, whose dam won the Desert Vixen; and Lucy’s Cookie, who was fourth at this level last out at Gulfstream.

Condora, by Valiant Minister, figures to be prominent when she breaks from post 5. She’s back on Tapeta after running second in a quick turf sprint. Condora is a two-time winner on the local synthetic track at Gulfstream.

The card Sunday also includes a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. It goes as the sixth race and has drawn Tom S, a first-time starter by Tom d’Etat. The dam of Tom S, Bickersons, won the Grade 2 Forward Gal.

Big Data nears return

Big Data, who came to hand last season at Gulfstream before going on to win the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs, is nearing his 4-year-old debut. Lerman said the horse is scheduled to run next Saturday, Aug. 24, in the $100,000 Benny the Bull Handicap.

It will be the first start since last September for Big Data, who was given time off after running second by a neck in the Bourbon Trail at Churchill Downs. He had won the Super Derby in his previous start.

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