Unaquoi may be the answer

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – There are some known facts and many questions to answer when trying to decipher the handicapping puzzle that is Sunday’s featured 10th race at Gulfstream Park. The fivefurlong first-level allowance on turf carries a $52,000 purse and attracted a diverse group of seven older fillies and mares.

The most notable fact is that Unaquoi has won just one fewer race than the rest of the field combined. The 7-year-old Unaquoi, who gets in with an $25,000 optional-claiming tag, has captured 10 of 47 starts, with eight of those victories coming in turf sprints. All of her wins came under the tutelage of Ollie Figgins III, who had her in his care from when she debuted at Charles Town during the summer of 2016 up until she was transferred to colleague Mike Maker’s barn earlier this winter.

Another noteworthy fact that may impact handicappers’ opinions regarding Unaquoi is that she’s yet to win a race over the local course in seven tries, although she has finished second here on three occasions, most recently in the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash on Dec. 5.

Among the key questions are whether the lightly raced Lexintonia is ready for a peak performance off an 18 1/2-month layoff and, more importantly, if she has an affinity for the turf. The 5–year-old daughter of Malibu Moon made her only two starts on dirt, and shows no workouts over grass. Her dam, Antonio Autumn, won 4 of her 14 tries on turf and was graded stakes-placed over the surface.

Perhaps an even bigger question when looking at the race is what to do with Simplify, who was graded stakes-placed on dirt in her native Argentina but is another with no grass experience, and who has been idle for over a year in advance of her U.S. debut. Simplify’s work tab since joining trainer Luis Duco’s barn here this winter has been a modest one, consisting of five half-mile breezes over the Gulfstream Park main track, with the most recent on March 13, when she completed the distance in 48.25 under a full-out drive to the wire.

Merseyside may vie for favoritism with Unaquoi, although she returns from an extended vacation of her own, having been idle since finishing third under similar conditions here on Sept. 17. The 72 Beyer Speed Figure she earned that day is the highest last-out number of any member of this field.

Captain Sam, also in for the $25,000 tag, has been a bit of a disappointment since posting a career-best 79 Beyer when beating allowance company last summer at Penn National. She was hard-used contesting a very fast pace in a similar spot in her most recent outing, and finished sixth. Two horses from that race returned to win their subsequent start.

Rising Bella, idle a full year while turning back to a sprint on grass for only the second time in her career, and Bernie’s Mistress, far back in her only outing on grass, complete the enigmatic lineup.