GULFSTREAM WEST Rain can’t stop Curlin’s Approval

When heavy rain began to fall Wednesday at Gulfstream Park as Curlin’s Approval was being tacked up in preparation for her final serious work prior to the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, her owner-trainer Happy Alter suddenly had an important decision to make. Does he send his multiple graded stakes winner out to breeze over a sloppy track or does he wait, hoping conditions might improve over the next couple of days?

Alter finally gave jockey Edgard Zayas the green light, with a little yellow tossed in for caution, to let Curlin’s Approval work. She responded by going six furlongs from the five-eighths pole in 1:15.61 over a track that had been harrowed at the break.

“When we’re breezing her a good distance and letting her gallop out, I always have the vet give her a little Lasix to simulate race conditions,” said Alter, who sold a share in Curlin’s Approval to Bridlewood Farm earlier in the season. “So having done that, even though it started to pour, there was really no turning back at that point. Especially since we’re expecting more rain, the track could be bad for days, and we have a flight scheduled for her early next week, which we really cannot change. I just told Edgard to take it a little easier with her, and under the circumstances I thought 1:15 for six furlongs was very good.”

Zayas, who rode Curlin’s Approval to a 4 3/4-length triumph in the Barely Even Handicap here Oct. 1, was pleased with the way the filly breezed in the rain, Alter said.

“Edgard said she was eager to work and went smooth as silk over the sloppy track,” Alter said. “She’s holding her weight and she looks good.”

Curlin’s Approval earned a spot in the Filly and Mare Sprint by winning the Grade 2 Princess Rooney on July 1 at Gulfstream. She followed that with a sixthplace finish in the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 26 at Saratoga. Alter said she had trouble at the gate in that race, “so I’m just throwing that one out.”

Luis Saez, who has won three graded stakes on Curlin’s Approval this season, including the Princess Rooney, will again have the assignment in the Filly and Mare Sprint. Alter said Saez gave up the mount on Highway Star, whom he rode to a win in the Grade 2 Gallant Bloom, to ride Curlin’s Approval.

Curlin’s Approval will fly to San Diego on either Tuesday or Wednesday and likely have one final blowout at Del Mar prior to the Nov. 4 Filly and Mare Sprint there.

Josdesanimaux must be caught

The rainy weather in this area could be a factor when it comes to Friday’s main event at Gulfstream Park West, a $44,000 optional-claiming race scheduled to be run at a mile on the turf. Nine fillies and mares were entered, including Money Or Love and Winning for Sarah for the main track only.

If the race goes as carded on grass, Josdesanimaux looks like the one to catch as she returns to the allowance ranks for the first time since a third-place finish Feb. 24 at Gulfstream Park. Josdesanimaux finished second two starts back in defense of her win in the restricted Panama City Stakes, also at Gulfstream.

Inside Out has been idle since rallying to miss by a half-length in the Christmas Past Stakes on May 27, and she figures among the key contenders, as does the lightly raced Righteous Ruth, who brings a two-race win streak against much lesser opposition into Friday’s headliner.

A switch to the main track would give Money Or Love the edge coming off a second-place finish behind the Breeders’ Cupbound Curlin’s Approval in the Barely Even earlier this month.