GULFSTREAM Sarasota County reps locals

The suspension of racing in places like Kentucky and New York has kept a number of larger outfits in South Florida for the time being, bolstering the depth and quality of racing at Gulfstream Park. That makes it even more challenging than usual at this time of year for some of the smaller barns based year round on the circuit.

The great equalizer, though, can be the right horse. That’s what trainer Bill Hickey hopes he has in Thursday’s featured 10th race at Gulfstream, an optional claimer scheduled for five furlongs on turf.

Hickey trains Sarasota County, who returned from a layoff of more than four months when finishing second by a head in a first-level allowance going five furlongs on turf on March 6 at Gulfstream, beating favored Macho Blue, one of his rivals Thursday, by a neck. Hickey, 37, a former assistant to George Weaver, has eight horses in his care. On Thursday, he’s got to go up against the likes of Mark Casse and Bill Mott, who have far more horses to draw from.

“It’s gotten a lot deeper,” Hickey said in a telephone interview on Monday.

Sarasota County should be one of the top contenders in what looks like a wide-open race. A lightly raced 5-year-old, Sarasota County has made two starts on turf, with his most recent his best yet, resulting in a Beyer Speed Figure of 83. Last October, he was promoted from fourth to third via disqualification in his lone prior grass race. He was off after that until March 6.

“He got hit in an eye by a clod and got a pretty bad eye ulcer,” Hickey said. “They just resolve when they resolve. He’s 100 percent now.”

Sarasota County stalked and closed last time, strategy Hickey would like to see jockey Joe Bravo employ Thursday.

“That’s how he wants to be ridden,” Hickey said. “He’s got plenty of gate speed, but he’d rather sit the first part.”

Thunderstorms are forecast for Thursday. Hickey said Sarasota County is a go even if the race gets moved to the main track. Sarasota County has raced three times on sloppy, sealed surfaces. He owns one win, and never has finished out of the money.

“I’d like to stay on grass, just because I think he might be a few notches better on grass,” Hickey said. “I just hope things settle down so he can have a nice, steady campaign.”

Fourteen are entered in the race, including two also-eligibles.

Long Blade ships in from Tampa riding a three-race win streak since moving to the barn of Jose Delgado, the last two in turf sprints in which he got Beyer Figures of 86.

Casse has Prince of Thieves, who runs well fresh, and Real Money, one of several in here with early speed. The comebacker Quarky also has speed.

Mott sends out Cucina, who beat statebred company in his 3-year-old debut March 11.

Trev, 10, is entered for the main track only. He has won 9 of 20 on this main track, and 14 of 40 overall.

The 11-race card is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Eastern.