War Beat moved up with the help of an equipment change in his most recent start and the performance will make the half-brother to $2 million earner Catholic Boy one of the top choices in a competitive fifth race Saturday at Gulfstream Park.
The first-level allowance for Florida-breds is the feature on an 11-race card. It will be run at 1 1/16 miles on turf and offers a claiming option of $20,000.
War Beat is part of a field of eight that includes Reminder, who finished just in front of him last out and could go favored, and the consistent Private Thoughts.
War Beat enters off a fast closing third in a turf mile at this level Aug. 4 and was beaten by just three-quarters of a length. For the effort, War Beat earned his best turf Beyer Speed Figure, an 82.
“We put blinkers on him last time and I thought he improved visually and he improved from a Beyer perspective,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said.
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“This seems like a spot he should be competitive in, should have a very good chance.”
War Beat’s previous turf Beyers were a 61 and 71. Earlier in the meet, he won an off-the-turf race run on Tapeta.
Drayden Van Dyke, who was aboard for the win and who also rode War Beat last time, again has the mount. The pair will start from post 8 for Bridlewood Farm.
Reminder finished a half-length in front of War Beat last out when second at this level, racing for the first time since December. Reminder closed well and was beaten a neck while racing on Lasix for the first time in his career.
Reminder earned a Beyer of 83, which is the best last-race turf number in the field Saturday. He will break from post 3 with jockey Leonel Reyes aboard for trainer Jose D’Angelo.
Private Thoughts comes out of the same race as Reminder and War Beat. He finished fifth after racing with the pace on a course that was rated “good.” Private Thoughts might benefit if the ground is firm Saturday as he is a winner on firm turf at Gulfstream.
Also on the card, Beach Ready could start as the favorite for the sixth consecutive time in the second race, a $35,000 starter allowance for fillies and mares over 7 1/2 furlongs on turf.
Beach Ready’s “streak” as the chalk began in January and she delivered, winning a first-level allowance for Florida-breds. She’s continued to be the public’s choice ever since, and won again for her backers in June. Otherwise, she’s run second or third during her current run of favoritism.
Beach Ready – as a six-time winner from the barn of Joseph, the leading trainer at the meet – likely will be favored again Saturday. The chief threat to her reign might be Boston Rose. She won a $35,000 conditioned claiming race on Tapeta by more than four lengths last out and the Beyer of 79 that she earned is the best last-race number in the field Saturday.
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