With the advent of Tapeta Track, we will effort to find the most interesting of those races, the intent being to find the best way to play the new surface. It will be a learn-as-you-go and since these races will be interspersed throughout the programs, and also the turf-rescheduled surface of choice, there’s little time to waste.
Thursday’s seventh is a two-turn 1 mile-70 yards for 3-year-olds and up with all make their synth debuts. Condition is always the buy-word, of course, but synthetic racing success leans heavily on pedigree and trainer intent. Will horsemen use the surface to give their horses a run, or do they have special knowledge? As stated, we learn as we go.
While all are making their AW debuts, many also are meeting limited winners (non-winners of two lifetime) for the first time, and that will be our focus. Enter gelded 3YO Famous Gent (3-1)) who’s coming in off a sharp race. Check it: GULFSTREAM PARK, SEP 11, Race 12.
Note that this was the Plesa trainee’s second run around two turns, which so far looks like his best game. The fact it came on turf is a bonus. Owning tactical speed, he looks like he can stay on after stalking the leaders from close range. In this case an outside appears to be more of a help than hindrance.
The barn’s been going well of late and two of Plesa’s first-synth starters have hit the board. First Dude offspring have a better than acceptable 16% strike rate on the synth from a sizable sample and Edgard Zayas takes a return call. Plesa does well going long when coming off two sprints.
We’re taking Famous Gent straight at 5-2 or greater and boxing an exacta with Ethos (7-2), who consistently earns top Thoro-Graph figures over any surface. We’ll go for a score by adding price shots Boca Guy (15-1) and Lord Darnley (15-1) to the super-exotics mix.
