Zayas aboard top contenders in two Sunday allowance races

Leading rider Edgard Zayas has live mounts in a couple of first-level allowance races for 3-year-old fillies that share top billing Sunday at Gulfstream.

Zayas rides Happy Constitution for trainer Antonio Sano in race 7. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Constitution should be favored in the one-mile race on the main track, which drew seven horses.

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Reinagol will have Zayas aboard as one of the favorites in the ninth race, a five-furlong dash that has seven horses entered for turf, plus one who goes if the race is moved to the main track. Zayas was aboard for Reinagol’s victory going five furlongs on turf in a maiden special weight race on Jan. 31 at Gulfstream. He also rode her to a third-place finish in her latest outing, a first-level allowance sprint that carried a $75,000 claiming option on Feb. 25.

Both races Sunday offer a $75,000 claiming option.

Zayas will be riding Happy Constitution for the first time. Junior Alvarado was aboard when she lost by a nose to the 4-5 favorite Army Wife in a similar race on March 13. Happy Constitution bobbled at the start and sat just off a moderate pace before slipping through along the rail to take the lead turning for home. She lost the head bob following a spirited duel with the winner.

The Mike Maker-trained Army Wife came back to finish third in the Grade 3 Gazelle on April 3 at Aqueduct.

With three sharp interim works, Happy Constitution appears to be primed for another big effort and will take some beating if she breaks alertly from the inside post.

The main threat is Sweet Pearl, who finished fourth in the March 13 race and then third going a mile on turf at the same level. Trained by Robert Dibona, Sweet Pearl will break from post 5 with Leonel Reyes retaining the mount.

Reinagol, trained by Victor Barboza Jr., has yet to run a poor race in her four-race career, and she was game in defeat going five furlongs on turf in her first start with winners in her last start. After dueling for the early lead, she finished a half-length behind the winner, La Libertee, and a head behind Amalfi Princess. Amalfi Princess came back to finish third in the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland.

Reinagol has speed, but can stalk, so Zayas will have options if she does not break on top leaving from post 5.

Road to Romance makes her first start of the year. Trained by Mark Casse, she is coming off a win going 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta in a maiden special weight race on Nov. 22 at Woodbine.

Social Exclusion, trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., has been working like she’s ready to fire a big shot in her first start since she ran 10th after forcing the issue early in her first route attempt in the $112,000 Sorority on Sept. 7 at Monmouth.

Joseph also trains Zia’s Song, who will receive a lot of support following her impressive win going five furlongs on turf in a maiden special weight race on Feb. 28.