Smell of roses is in air this week. In mile allowance yesterday at Gulfstream Park, 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide, 6-year-old gelding making his second start of year, finished game second to Sir Greeley in near-track-record time of 1:34.2, with 3-5 favorite Sun King third. It was first solid effort for Funny Cide (beaten total of 62 lengths last five starts) since winning 2004 Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Tomorrow, last year’s 50-1 Derby winner, Giacomo, returns in Strub Stakes at Santa Anita, gray colt’s first start since finishing seventh in June 11 Belmont Stakes.
FIFTH RACE: After heavy chalk swept first four races, Time to Rap, Eibar Coa up, posted minor upset at 7-2. NY-bred allowance winner last winter, 5-year-old gelding dropped in for 25G tag making first start since April for Bruce Levine, pressed early pace set by 2-1 favorite Sea Lawyer, Jose Santos up (coupled with Seneca Point) along rail, went up to duel for lead leaving backside, quickly went to front around turn, drew off as much best as Sea Lawyer faded to last.
SIXTH RACE: Call Me Speed, fifth in first two starts for Bobby Barbara under Alan Garcia and Eibar Coa, switched to Ramon Dominguez, drew in from also-eligibles, speed-popped gate from outside post 12, cleared field gunning to lead, angled over to rail pressed inside by Tough and Easy, double-bug Randall Toups up, and outside by Zip Zip under Jose Amy. Down stretch, Toups kept Tough and Easy down inside in futile attempt to catch Call Me Speed, but there was no room to come through as Dominguez kept him pinned in tight along rail to score at 7-1.
SEVENTH RACE: Pablo Fragoso, riding Desert Border, made what looked like winning move mid-stretch, splitting 8-5 favorite Paris Adventure and Coup de Grace to take lead inside final furlong, led by half-length with sixteenth to run, but Coup de Grace dug in, came on again under aggressive handling by Norberto Arroyo to forge to front near wire.
EIGHTH RACE: Kiaran McLaughlin entry of Backchat, Jose Santos up, and Rum Point, under Channing Hill, was 2-1 on strength of Backchat’s good-fig maiden score last out, whereas Rum Point would have been 20-1 running on his own after losing last start by 23 lengths. Turning for home, those two moved in tandem to go after pace-setting Fortunate Storm, with Backchat surging to lead inside final furlong, only to have Rum Point nail him in final strides. Santos, seeking career victory 4,000, stuck on 3,998 for 12 straight mounts after winning Saturday’s Paumonok Handicap.
PICK SIX
Winning numbers: 10-5-13-5-2-8
4 winners (6 of 6) each paid $7,085
95 consolation (5 of 6) winners
each paid $99.50
No Carryover
