Xy Speed returns to Gulfstream Park on Saturday for the $95,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint. When last seen over the local lawn he strung together three straight five-furlong turf wins while achieving a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 102.
It’s the kind of form that would make him tough to beat in the eight-horse field – provided he gets firm ground for the five-furlong race. Anything less than that could lead to his scratch, and Accuweather is calling for a 44 percent chance of afternoon thunderstorms on a day forecast to be in the high 80s.
“South Florida, late summer, late fall, there’s a chance of rain every day,” said Michael Lerman, who trains Xy Speed. “He despises soft turf and the synthetic even more, so he’s not going to run unless the conditions are favorable to him.”
The Bob Umphrey is one of three undercard stakes supporting the Grade 3 Princess Rooney, a Win and You’re In qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. The $95,000 Aventura is a one-turn dirt mile for 2-year-olds, and the $95,000 Ginger Punch features fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on turf.
Xy Speed boasts a 6-for-13 record over the turf at Gulfstream. He won back-to-back overnight handicaps during his spring streak and has made one start since, at Monmouth Park, after a July race he was entered in came off the turf at Gulfstream.
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Xy Speed ran in the Select on Aug. 17 at Monmouth and was beaten a length on the undercard of the Philip Iselin.
“It was soft at Monmouth the last time I ran him,” Lerman said. “It monsooned an hour and a half before the race, so the Iselin and that race were run on off tracks. His race, in particular, was run on a boggy, soft turf course. He was struggling with the turf the whole way.
“For some reason, it’s listed as firm. It was anything but. You can tell by the time. They went 5 1/2 [furlongs] in 1:04.”
Lerman is pleased with how Xy Speed is coming into the Bob Umphrey. He will break from post 5 under jockey Edwin Gonzalez.
“Despite the misadventures, he’s in top form and doing really well, and if the weather cooperates he should run his A race.
“What I’m trying to do is go from here to Keeneland, trying to use this as a stepping-stone to the Woodford. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, it’s going to be straight to the Woodford.”
Xy Speed figures to be making his case in the later stages Saturday.
“I want him coming from off the pace,” Lerman said. “There’s sufficient pace in there, I think. He’s tactical, but I prefer him coming off of it and running at them. He can fire a sub-11 [second] eighth, so he’ll be the one running at the end.”
High Limit Room, a turf sprint stakes winner, wired the field in his last start and figures to again show speed. Others who could contribute to the pace include Wide West, a filly who showed the way over yielding ground last time when third in a stakes at Hawthorne, and Hope in Him, a confirmed front-runner.
A quick pace might suit Takecareofbusiness, who was second last out in a first-level allowance at Gulfstream that has produced a pair of next-out winners, including Abrir Caminos, who won an overnight handicap at Gulfstream.
Aventura
Crazy Frazy and Naughty Rascal lead the field of eight for the Aventura as both are stakes winners. Crazy Frazy is cutting back to one turn after taking the Sapling around two turns last out at Monmouth. Naughty Rascal has won both of his starts, including the Proud Man at six furlongs at Gulfstream.
Classic of Course will get good support off a third-place finish in the Dr. Fager division of the Florida Sire Stakes on Sept. 7 at Gulfstream. The winner, Rated by Merit, is unbeaten in two starts and owns two of the year’s best Beyer Speed Figures for a 2-year-old colt or gelding. Classic of Course earned a 76 Beyer in the Dr. Fager, the best career number in the Aventura.
Emisael Jaramillo has the mount for trainer Patrick Biancone.
Edwin Gonzalez will ride Naughty Rascal, who defeated Classic of Course in the Proud Man for trainer Gerald Bennett, while Eduardo Rojas has the mount on Crazy Frazy for trainer Jorge Delgado.
Ginger Punch
Charlie’s Wish is moving back to turf for the Ginger Punch after running third in the Sheer Drama over seven furlongs on the main track. The winner of the race, Beth’s Dream, and the runner-up, Maryquitecontrary, are both entered back in the Princess Rooney.
Charlie’s Wish won the Distaff Turf at 1 1/16 miles in March at Tampa Bay Downs. Miguel Vasquez has the mount for trainer David Fawkes.
Others in the field include Grade 3 winner Angel Nadeshiko and the promising 3-year-old filly Majestic Venezuela.
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