Cypriana must put issues aside

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Cypriana showed right off the bat she had talent when she ran to her backing and won her career debut last winter at Gulfstream Park as the favorite. But 14 months and four starts later – several of the eventful variety – Cypriana will still be seeking her second victory when she goes postward here against five other older fillies and mares in Wednesday’s $51,000 main event, a high-priced optional claimer.

Wednesday’s headliner is carded as the ninth event on a 10-race program and will be the penultimate leg in a Rainbow 6 sequence that begins with a carryover of nearly $846,000.

Cypriana was backed to 4-5 coming off her impressive debut when she tried allowance company for the first time here last April, only to finish far back after flipping at the gate prior to the race. She bounced back with a sharp second-place effort at Belmont Park before things really began to unravel later in the summer at Saratoga, where she bore out badly on the turn and into the stretch in both starts there.

“She flipped at the gate before her second start and rather than scratch her, as they should, they let her run,” said Mark Hennig, who trains Cypriana for Courtlandt Farms. “Then, after she had her problems at Saratoga, we did a bone scan and her back lit up. She had inflammation around her spine and withers, so we gave her some time and hopefully we have all that behind us now.”

Hennig added blinkers to Cypriana’s equipment for Wednesday, which he hopes will help her take the turn cleanly.

“She’s been holding the turns well in her works,” said Hennig. “I even put another horse inside her one day to make sure she wouldn’t run out in that situation as well. But she didn’t do it in her works before the races at Saratoga last year, either. She’s doing great, but there’s still a little part of me that needs to see her get around there in the afternoon without a problem. I certainly think she has plenty of talent. We just have to get her over her physical and mental issues.”

None of Cypriana’s five rivals have earned a Beyer Speed Figure higher than 64 in their most recent start. Rashette posted the best last-race Beyer in the field for her third-place finish against mid-level starter allowance opposition on Jan. 21. She is one of two members of the lineup with three wins along with Sworn Silence, who has been idle since claimed for $30,000 out of a ninth-place finish as a 4-5 favorite last September at Churchill Downs.

Completing the field are She’s So Needy, a runaway 10 1/2-length winner against bottom-level maiden claimers four weeks ago; Bodebabe, who returns to dirt off a sixth in her turf debut; and Longstocking.