An interesting ninth at Gulfstream Park Saturday that offers an opportunity for value. Village Queen (8-1), the longer uncoupled Ron Potts trainee, makes sense on several levels.
Empirically, shipper from Presque Isle traditionally have enjoyed success, whichever venue they ship into, and whatever the surface.
In the instance of this three-year-old Gemologist filly, Village Queen ran off three consecutive victories at lower levels of the PID synthetic surface. Following those were three starts and a barn change came three very competitive runs in allowance company prior to her shipping south.
She wound up with the Potts division at Tampa Bay Downs, which opens this Wednesday, et Potts shipped her further south to this spot for a run on Gulfstream’s Tapeta, which of course is not available in Oldsmar.
If that doesn’t speak to trainer intent for a barn that bats a lofty 21% on AW tracks in a sample of nearly 500 runners, I don’t know what would. She’s tactical, nicely drawn inside and attracts the young talent, Edwin Gonzalez. Ante post odds rate to be fair.
Her main danger in our view will come from Katz A Dream (7-2), a visually impressive winner of her Tapeta debut here on OCT 23, Race 10. Check the ‘Going Gulfstream’ video on the HRI homepage for confirmation of her authoritative win.
We’re taking Village Queen to win at 5-1 or greater and a quinella box with Katz A Dream.
