Mrs. Gambolini will be breaking from the rail for the first time in her career Saturday, when she starts as the 124-pound highweight in the $70,000 Portofino Bay at Gulfstream Park.
The overnight handicap for fillies and mares will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. It goes as the eighth race on an 11-race card that begins at 12:50 p.m. Eastern.
Mrs. Gambolini is 3 for 5 in her career, but the closest the sprinter has been to the rail is post 5.
“She’s normally a pretty decent breaker, so hopefully she can get away from there well and she can work a trip out,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.
The field of six Saturday includes Great Venezuela and Tiffany Gold from the barn of Victor Barboza Jr. They are both weighted at 123 and have won over the Tapeta at Gulfstream.
Mrs. Gambolini won her debut on Tapeta last July at Gulfstream. She started her 4-year-old season in April with a win in an overnight handicap at five furlongs on turf. In her most recent start, Mrs. Gambolini was second by a head in another overnight handicap on turf May 25.
“I thought she ran well,” Joseph said. “She was kind of squeezed there from the gate and then a horse bumped her, which was alright, but then the horse continued to come down on her and she had to check. She was wide all the way around, probably should have won the race. But it is what it is.”
Edgard Zayas has the mount on the daughter of More Than Ready for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds.
“She’s a talented horse,” Joseph said. “Eventually, we’re going to step her up into graded company. We feel like she’s good enough, but this is another stepping-stone.”
Great Venezuela is a Tapeta specialist and boasts a 5-for-6 record over the surface at Gulfstream. She is moving back to the synthetic track after back-to-back turf sprint starts at Gulfstream in which she finished second to Mrs. Gambolini in April and third to her in their last starts in May.
Leonel Reyes has the mount from post 3.
Tiffany Gold edged Mrs. Gambolini in May, when she wired the field on turf. She is also proven over the local synthetic track, as she is 1 for 2 on Tapeta at Gulfstream.
Emisael Jaramillo has the mount from post 4.
Trumpets is 3 for 6 on Tapeta at Gulfstream. Cousin Kristi will be making her first start on the surface.
Oh Darlin was a supplement to the Portofino Bay after being claimed for $50,000 last out at Gulfstream.
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