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Competitive Speed Finds Winner’s Circle Again At Gulfstream Park

John Minchello's Competitive Speed closed from far back to capture Saturday's $60,000 Hallandale Beach at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., returning to winning form in her second start since a troubled run in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The Hallandale Beach, a seven-furlong overnight handicap for fillies and mares, was featured on a 13-race program that was headlined later in the day by the $75,000 Carry Back, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds.

Competitive Speed, who finished off the board in the April 30 G1 Kentucky Oaks after encountering hard bumping at the start, returned to finish second in the June 5 Game Face Stakes, in which she got off to a slow start before making a solid late run. The daughter of Competitive Edge was once again a bit slow leaving her rail post position Saturday, but that would not turn out to be a handicap this time.

Shea D Summer, who registered a front-running victory while defeating Competitive Speed by 2 ½ lengths in the Game Face, reared in the gate to miss the start of the Hallandale Beach as Restofthestory and Emunah broke alertly to contest the early pace. Competitive Speed saved ground in sixth along the backstretch several lengths off the pacesetters, who set fractions of :23.08 for the first quarter and :45.56 seconds for the first half-mile. Shea D Summer, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, made a strong recovery to make a three-wide sweep into contention on the turn into the homestretch.

Jockey Leonel Reyes angled Competitive Speed off the rail on the turn into the homestretch to launch a four-wide drive as Shea D Summer kicked on to take a brief lead in mid-stretch. The Carlos David-trained favorite, however, was no match for the fresh legs of Competitive Speed, the 2-1 second betting choice who drew away to a length victory. Coach Jer's Joy rallied widest of all under J. C. Diaz Jr. to finish second, a length ahead of Restofthestory and jockey Edgard Zayas. Shea D Summer shortened stride late to finish fourth.

Competitive Speed ran seven furlongs in 1:24.24.

“They set a good pace for her. She was a little farther back, but the track is a little deep today and she was getting too much dirt and she didn't like that,” trainer Javier Gonzalez said. “When she got to the outside, she did what she was supposed to do – what she likes to do.”

Competitive Speed had earned her way into the Kentucky Oaks field with a strong Championship Meet, during which she won the Glitter Woman Stakes and registered third-place finishes in the Grade 2 Davona Dale and the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

“I was sad with what happened to her in the Kentucky Oaks,” Gonzalez said “She dealt with that, and now she's been getting better and better every day. She has a big heart.”

The post Competitive Speed Finds Winner’s Circle Again At Gulfstream Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The Haiku Handicapper Presented By Form2Win: 2021 Kentucky Oaks

Time to analyze the 2021 Kentucky Oaks field, in post position order, in the form of Haiku; a Japanese poem of 17 syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five.

To read previous editions of The Haiku Handicapper, click here.

#1 – Pauline's Pearl
Bloodline of a star
But has she been a big fish
Among the minnows?

#2 – Maracuja
Big Gazelle form jump
Still puts her a rung beneath
The field's upper tier

#3 – Clairiere
Travel Column holds
A two-to-one advantage
Going head-to-head

#4 – Crazy Beautiful
Her only real dud
Came in last year's Breeders' Cup
Bad day? Class ceiling?

#5 – Pass the Champagne
Her talent's bubbling
Might be time to pop the cork
Make room on tickets

#6 – Travel Column
Starred in her last prep
And can win from anywhere
Sitting in first class

#8 – Moraz
Bred for the classics
Missing a killer instinct
Can't win without it

#9 – Coach
Like Belichick's Pats
She hasn't been a true threat
Since late October

#10 – Malathaat
Answered a big doubt
When she won outside New York
Ought to have a say

#11 – Will's Secret
Odds would cut in half
If the race were at Oaklawn
Alas, it is not

#12 – Search Results
No need to Ask Jeeves
She'll be in the lead Dogpile
Her chances Excite

#13 – Competitive Speed
Bears a fitting name
If she's in a one-turn race
Not a likely threat

#14 – Millefeuille
Her form lags behind
But her mornings are bullets
Mott might have her right

Prediction
Evenly-matched bout
Travel Column guts it out
Five, ten fill the tri

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Wholebodemeister Registers $107.60 Shocker In Davona Dale

Sabana Farm's Wholebodemeister rolled to a commanding 6 1/2 -length victory in Saturday's $200,000 Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream Park, scoring a 52-1 upset with a dazzling front-running performance.

The Davona Dale, a mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies, was one of nine stakes worth more than $1.4 million on a 14-race program headlined by the $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (G2), a key prep for the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill n' Dale Farm at Xalapa March 27.

Vequist, the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning juvenile filly who was sent to post as the 1-2 favorite, made a brief bid on the far turn before fading to ninth in her first start since capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland Nov. 6.

Juan Carlos Avila-trained Wholebodemeister ($107.60) broke alertly to show the way to her 11 rivals while being pressed by Adios Trippi along the backstretch. The daughter of Bodemeister shook off the challenge on the far turn and opened a clear lead that would only lengthen to the finish line under Edgard Zayas. Crazy Beautiful closed to finish second under Robby Albarado, 1 1/2 lengths ahead of Competitive Speed and Leonel Reyes.

Wholebodemeister, who had finished third in the Forward Gal (G3) at Gulfstream in her prior start, ran a mile in 1:36.89.

“Last time, it was a troubled trip. She's still learning a lot. I remember last time she was between horses and she didn't like it. The last eighth she found some space and she went through it and only got by a little more than a length. I knew she would be solid if I could keep her in the clear,” Zayas said. “My plan was just to break out of there, put her on the lead and see what she got.”

Wholebodemeister, who may very well have earned a berth in the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs by earning 50 qualifying points Saturday, is likely to return to action in the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 27.

Updated Kentucky Oaks leaderboard

“I'm very happy, very happy. She's ready for the next race,” said Avila through an interpreter. “She's little but she has a big heart. She's super hyper and is difficult to train, but I had a lot of confidence in her because when she breezes, she's really good.”

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‘Competitive’ Affair in Forward Gal

John Minchello's Competitive Speed (Competitive Edge) will put her three-race win streak on the line when she makes her debut in graded company in Saturday's GIII Forward Gal S. at Gulfstream Park.

“This is going to be a big test, but I think she can make it,” trainer Javier Gonzalez said. “She's doing good and she is one of those horses that is never going to make you look bad,” he added. “I think she's going to run a very good race.”

Competitive Speed, sixth facing open maidens in the Gulfstream West slop Oct. 31, graduated by 1 1/2 lengths against $25,000 maiden claimers at Gulfstream West Nov. 12, beating a pair of next-out winners in the process. Shipped to Gulfstream for her next start Dec. 6, the chestnut came from off the pace to take a starter optional claimer by 4 1/2 lengths, then stepped up to add the 6 1/2-furlong Glitter Woman S. Jan. 2.

Competitive Speed, who failed to meet her reserve as a yearling at Keeneland in the fall of 2019, sold for $5,000 the following season at OBS in July.

“She's always doing better every day, and that's happened from the very first day that she came to the barn. When she came to us and started training and working and get condition, she was doing better,” Gonzalez added. “When we put her in company, she did better. Whatever we ask her to do, she did better. She's passed every test.”

Competitive Speed has breezed twice at Gulfstream West since the Glitter Woman, including a half-mile in :48.40 Jan. 16, third-fastest of 18 horses. Leonel Reyes will ride back from Post 3 in a field of eight.

“It was a little bit faster than I wanted, but she came back good. The next day she ate everything and she was happy,” Gonzalez said. “She's coming into the race really well.”

Shadwell Stable homebred Zaajel (Street Sense), enters the Forward Gal off a 7 1/4-length maiden special weight romp going seven panels at Gulfstream Dec. 20.

“She was very impressive in her debut and she's trained great since then,” Todd Pletcher said. “Ideally, I'd kind of like to run her in an allowance race, but we don't really have an option at the moment. Considering how well she ran at the distance and over the surface here, we'll give it a try. The seven furlongs was no problem in her debut.”

Luis Saez, up for her debut, gets the return call from Post 7.

Also one to watch is Coach Jer's Joy (Palace), who earned the top spot over a field that included Competitive Speed in the aforementioned Gulfstream West maiden Oct. 31. Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., the chestnut will be joined by freshly anointed Eclipse award winning rider, Irad Ortiz Jr.

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