Uncle B seeks winning form

Uncle B will try to start another winning streak for trainer Lilli Kurtinecz when he runs in a second-level allowance race that has a $62,500 claiming option Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

After Kurtinecz claimed Uncle B on behalf of David Caprio for $16,000 on Jan. 13, the 4-yearold Kentucky-bred reeled off three wins in succession before finishing third in the $75,000 Miesque’s Approval. All three of his victories came on turf, and he will likely be favored in the 1 1/16-mile race that has nine horses entered for grass. Tour de Force will start if the race is moved to the main track.

Uncle B got off to a fast start as a juvenile for trainer Nicholas Gonzalez. In his second start, he won a maiden special weight race at Woodbine by 6 1/4 lengths and then just missed in the $128,00 Swynford Stakes.

Uncle B seemed to be on his way to good things when he won his first start as a 3-yearold in the $50,000 OBS Sprint at the Ocala Training Center. He followed up his first stakes win with three runner-up finishes in sprint stakes at Gulfstream and Woodbine.

He regressed though, and eventually dropped into a claiming race for the first time last Dec. 17, when he finished third in a $16,000 nonwinners of three going 7 1/2 furlongs. Kurtinecz claimed him when he ran back at the same level, and he won a similar race in his first start for his new connections.

He improved dramatically when he stretched out to 1 1/16 miles in his next two races in $30,000 and $25,000 starter/ optional-claiming races, and he was in the mix until the deep stretch in the Miesque’s Approval.

He has good tactical speed and will likely be forwardly placed after he breaks from post 7 with Jeffrey Sanchez riding.

KEY CONTENDERS

Uncle B, by Zensational Last 3 Beyers: 91-92-91

◗ His recent Beyer Speed Figures stand out, and if he stays in the zone he’ll be tough to handle.

Master Plan, by Twirling Candy Last 3 Beyers: 60-84-84

◗ He looks like the main threat. Trained by Todd Pletcher, this will be his first start as a 4-year-old. He hasn’t raced since he went unplaced in the Grade 3 Saranac on Sept. 2 at Saratoga.

◗ Pletcher can have them ready to roll coming off this type of layoff, and Master Plan has plenty of class with two stakes wins last year and runner-up finishes in the Grade 2 UAE Derby at Meydan and the Grade 3 Kent at Delaware Park.

Global Entry, by Flower Alley Last 3 Beyers: 85-80-82

◗ There isn’t a lot of speed in the field, and the last time he made the lead he took them all the way in a $35,000 optionalclaiming race with first-level allowance conditions Feb. 18.

◗ The bad news is the Robert Diona-trained 5-year-old was soundly beaten by Uncle B in his next two starts.