Zayas will try to pad lead in jockeys' standings

Edgard Zayas is well on his way to being the leading rider at Gulfstream Park West for the second straight year, and he has an excellent chance of extending his lead over Tyler Gaffalione with live mounts in a couple of intriguing 2-year-old maiden special weight races on Sunday.

In race 8, he rides Fired Up Sensation, who figures to be favored in the 7 1/2-furlong turf race for 2-year-old fillies that drew an overflow field of 16 horses. Only 10 will be allowed to start.

Texas Tea, a first-time starter trained by Todd Pletcher, looks like a serious contender under Zayas in race 9. The seven-furlong dash open to both sexes drew eight horses and appears to be wide open.

Post time for the first of 10 races is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

Fired Up Sensation had excuses for losing as the favorite in both of her races on turf in New York for trainer Christophe Clement. Debuting in a 5 1/2-furlong dash at Saratoga on Aug. 26, she got off to a slow start but showed a lot of potential by rallying to finish fourth. The winner, Outsider Art, repeated in a $62,500 optional-claiming race at Kentucky Downs and then finished third in the Grade 3 Jessamine at Keeneland.

In her next start going a mile at Belmont, she broke well but was taken off the pace by Joel Rosario. She appeared to be full of run heading into the stretch but was stalled behind a wall of horses. When she finally found room, she made a strong late move to finish fourth.

Fired Up Sensation’s only sibling to race is Pure Sensation, a full brother who won the Grade 3, $300,000 Turf Monster at Parx on Sept. 7. She drew post 8, and with the blinkers going on, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Zayas put her into the race early.

A couple of Pletcher-trained first-time starters, Trickita and Sweet Victory, appear to be the main threats.

Texas Tea has fired bullets in three of his last five works at Palm Beach Downs and appears to be primed for a big effort in race 9.

Texas Tea is by Drosselmeyer, who won the Belmont Stakes in 2010 and the Breeders’ Cup Classic the following year.

Texas Tea has six winning siblings, the best being Next Right Thing, who won six sprints on the main track and one on turf.

Giant Inka, trained by Enrique Sanchez, will try to make amends after finishing third as the favorite going a mile and 70 yards in a maiden special weight race at Gulfstream Park West on Oct. 31.

◗ Gabby Gaudet and Andy Serling will join the Gulfstream Park broadcast team for the championship meet, which begins Dec. 5. Gaudet has been the on-air host the past two years for the Maryland Jockey Club and will serve as on-air host throughout the day during the Gulfstream meet. Gaudet will be joined opening weekend and during January and February by Serling, a New York Racing Association handicapper.