HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – What Airdrie Hill lacks in experience, she makes up for in pure talent. She returns from a 17-month layoff on Friday to take on seven rivals in the $43,000 allowance feature at Gulfstream Park.
The race is restricted to Florida-bred fillies and mares and will be decided at 5 1/2 furlongs over the Tapeta surface.
Airdrie Hill launched her career in June 2024 in a statebred maiden special weight dash on the main track and ran to her 8-5 backing, drawing off to an impressive five-length victory for which she earned a very respectable 72 Beyer Speed Figure for a 2-year-old at that time of the season. Airdrie Hill was trained by Jack Sisterson for her debut but was subsequently transferred to the barn of Brian Lynch, for whom she’ll start for the first time Friday.
“She underwent knee surgery following her first start. We’ve had her for about three months,” Lynch advised. “She’s been training very well, and I’m looking forward to getting her started back and seeing how the winter unfolds.”
Airdrie Hill has worked three times since shipping to Lynch’s winter base at the Palm Meadows training center. Her most recent work was an impressive half-mile when she more than held her own in company with the older stakes winner Silent Heart on Nov. 15.
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“Running on the Tapeta for the first time is a big question, but she’s by Girvin and I think his offspring have had success on the Poly,” Lynch said. “I think ultimately 5 1/2 furlongs might prove a little short for her, although she did win going five furlongs the first time.
“We needed a starting point to kick off from, and it’s the perfect condition for her, a never won two lifetime against Florida-breds.”
Airdrie Hill is one of four 3-year-olds in the field along with likely favorite Be Thankful, who had a two-race win streak snapped when finishing a tiring and disappointing third as a prohibitive 2-5 favorite under similar conditions last month. Be Thankful wound up engaging in a torrid early speed duel that day with Neodera, who may prove to be her nemesis again as she also returns in this spot.
Other key contenders include Baby Blocks, who is back in South Florida off a series of solid efforts over the turf this summer at Delaware Park and Colonial Downs, and Lucy’s Cookie, who returned from an 11-month layoff to prove a game winner against mid-level conditioned claiming rivals six weeks earlier.
Rezasrolex keeps on ticking
The beat goes on for the win machine Rezasrolex. The Tapeta sprint specialist stepped out of his mid-level starter-allowance comfort zone to easily defeat entry-level statebred allowance foes by 3 1/4 lengths here last Friday for his seventh consecutive victory and ninth in 10 starts dating back to March 2024.
“He’s amazing. He’s had his minor little setbacks during the streak but he’s a real trooper,” said Joe Orseno, who trains Rezasrolex for owner Robert Cotran. “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a horse who has won seven in a row. And in truth, it probably should be 10 straight. The one time he lost during the streak was on a day his rider, Edgard Zayas, ultimately took off the rest of his mounts because he was ill.”
Orseno explained what prompted him to claim Rezasrolex, a son of Bucchero, for a bargain $16,000 out of his local debut here in December 2023.
“We’re big Bucchero fans, I must have 10 horses by him in my barn and another 15 mares in foal to him at the moment,” Orseno said. “Robert is actually a partner in Bucchero. He told me to watch Rezasrolex when he ran at Belterra Park in a maiden race a couple of years ago. I was impressed with what I saw, and when he showed up here we took him.”
Orseno said Rezasrolex will be ineligible for starter-allowance conditions by the end of the year and his short-term plan is to look for an open first-level allowance race over the Tapeta for his next start.
“Timing-wise, that works out perfect because it will be the Championship meet by then and the purse for that race will be $90,000,” said Orseno, who actually missed Rezasrolex’s latest triumph while undergoing surgery on his toe the same day.
◗ The race for leading jockey and trainer honors during the current meet will come down to the final three days this weekend. Entering Friday’s card, jockey Edgard Zayas owns a 40-38 advantage over Miguel Vasquez, with Emisael Jaramillo another four wins back.
Saffie Joseph Jr., who holds a 30-26 advantage over Jose D’Angelo, is looking to wrap up yet another local training crown.
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