Gulfstream Notebook: Racing Resumes Thursday; Three Rules Update

Gulfstream Park will resume racing on Thursday with nine races and first post of 1:15 p.m.

The Thursday card has a carryover of $50,692 on  the  Rainbow 6, on races  four through nine.

Thursday will be the 51^st day of the summer meet that will end on Saturday Oct. 1.

The Gulfstream Park West meet, held at Calder, will begin on Wednesday Oct. 5.  The 40-day meet will run through Nov. 27, mostly with a Wednesday through Sunday schedule.

The Thursday card will be Gulfstream’s first since Sunday Sept. 18, when  Defying Gravity and Francesco Appeal were impressive winners.

Defying Gravity overcame a slow pace to capture her sixth straight victory with a late rally in the featured ninth race.

The 5-year-old mare, who is owned by trainer Jose Pinchin and Kenneth Doyen, prevailed by a length in the $37,000 optional claiming allowance, running a mile on the firm turf in 1:36.93.

“She’s just coming on late.,” said Pinchin, who has campaigned the daughter of Wildcat Heir throughout her 35-race career. “She’s a well-bred filly. She won her second race. She had some issues, and she’s come back good.”

Cornelio Velasquez, who has been aboard for all six victories, rated Defying Gravity a few lengths off pacesetter Reagan’s Odyssey, who set pedestrian fractions of 25.51, 49.57 and 1:12.93 during the first six furlongs.

The pacesetter appeared to be getting away from the 4-5 favorite entering the stretch. But Defying Gravity was able to mount an extended drive to capture her sixth straight race and 11^th victory overall.

The stretch-running Defying Gravity began her winning streak in a $10,000 claiming event May 15 and has been victorious in three straight optional claiming allowances.

Three Rules Seeks Sweep

Pinchin also trains the undefeated 2-year-old Three Rules, who on Oct. 1 is scheduled to make a bid for a Florida Sire Stakes sweep in the $500,000 In Reality.

The son of Gone Astray has captured his four career starts by a combined 21 ½ lengths.

That includes the first two legs of the 2-year-old male division of the Sire Stakes, which is restricted to horses sired by accredited stallions standing in Florida.

Three Rules won by seven lengths in the $200,000 Dr. Fager at six furlongs Aug. 6 and by 5 ½ lengths in the $300,000 Affirmed at seven furlongs Sept. 3.

Three Rules won his debut June 10 by 3 ½ lengths and the non-restricted Birdonthewire Stakes July 2 by five lengths.

Velasquez has been aboard for all four dominating wins.

Three Rules will be asked to negotiate two turns for the first time in the 1 1/16-mile In Reality.

“I don’t see any problems with two turns,” Pinchin said. “He’s a two-turn horse.”

Francesco Appeal Returns

Francesco Appeal, who finished third to Three Rules in the Birdonthewire, returned on Sunday after an 11-week absence from competition and was an impressive winner in the seventh race.

Francesco Appeal beat Red Crescent by 2 ½ lengths in the six-furlong allowance/optional claiming race for 2-year-olds.

The win was the second in three career starts for Francesco Appeal, who is owned by Monarch Stable and trained by Larry Pilotti.

Francesco Appeal was the even-money favorite and Red Crescent was 5-1 in the seven-horse field.

Red Crescent, with Edgard Zayas riding, led Successful Appeal by a head after a half mile in 45.06 seconds.

Francesco Appeal, ridden by five-pound apprentice Lane 

Luzzi, took the lead early in the stretch and pulled away.  His winning time on the track listed as fast was 1:10.40—very solid for a 2-year-old.

Thanks God, the third place finisher, came in 8 1/2 lengths behind Red Crescent.

Francesco Appeal won his debut race on May 12 at Gulfstream at  4 ½ furlongs.  He won by 7  ½ lengths over Draft Beer, who was a next-out winner.

In the Birdonthewire, at 5 ½ furlongs, Three Rules was the 6-5 favorite and Francesco Appeal was the 2-1 second choice in a nine-horse field.

Francesco Appeal  led  after a half mile but was caught by Three Rules and then edged by a neck at the wire by 73-1 shot Sondino.  Three Rules finished five lengths ahead of Sondino.

An indication of the strength of the Birdonthewire is  that Gunnevera finished fourth, one and one-half lengths behind Francesco Appeal.

In his next start, Gunnevera won the 6 ½ furlong Saratoga Special (Grade 2) at Saratoga. Javier Castellano rode for trainer Antonio Sano and owner Peacock Racing Stables.

Francesco Appeal, a son of Successful Appeal, and Gunnevera, a son of Dialed In, are Kentucky-breds and thus not eligible for the Florida Sire Stakes races.

Gunnevera’s breeding suggests that he is suited for two-turn races.  This  fall there are 1 1/16 mile graded stakes at tracks in Kentucky, New York and Louisiana  that could fit his late-running style.

Francesco Appeal could find opportunities in non-restricted overnight stakes and in allowance races at the GP West meet.

--Jim Freer