Battle Cry eyes Tapeta perfection

Battle Cry has found a new home on the Tapeta at Gulfstream Park and in Friday’s seventh race will attempt to remain perfect over the local synthetic track when she meets another Tapeta specialist in Pacific Princess.

The horses will clash over one mile and 70 yards in a $12,500 starter allowance for fillies and mares that carries an optional claiming price of $20,000. The race is part of a Rainbow 6 jackpot sequence that runs on races 3-8 and has a minimum guaranteed pool of $200,000. The 20-cent bet has not been solved over the last eight race dates.

Battle Cry, a $20,000 claim in March 2022, is coming off a win at this level and distance on Tapeta June 23 at Gulfstream. For the effort, she earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 84, which is the best last-race number in the field Friday.

“She’s a good mare,” said trainer Victor Barboza Jr. “She’s run two times on the Tapeta and has two wins – one in my barn and the other one in the other stable.”

Edwin Gonzalez has the mount from the rail on Battle Cry.

“It’s a good distance, a good [post] position, and her jockey is very effective on the Tapeta,” said Barboza.

Barboza said as well as Battle Cry has done on the Tapeta, he feels the key for the mare who has won five of her last seven starts is race configuration.

“Two turns is very good for the mare,” he said.

Barboza said Battle Cry could get a stalking kind of trip Friday.

“I see in the race there are three or four mares who are very fast,” he said. “She could run four or five lengths off the speed. She’s a very smart mare, very classy, very relaxed.”

Pacific Princess used her natural speed to win at this distance and level May 26 at Gulfstream. It was her first win over the Tapeta, but she’s also run second and third on the surface from three synthetic track starts. Pacific Princess earned her best Beyer last out on the Tapeta, an 81 for a thirdplace finish to Battle Cry on June 23.

The apprentice Angel Morales again has the mount from post 5.

Pacific Princess, a winner of three of her last six starts, is trained by her breeder and owner, Roger Laurin.

Others making up the eighthorse field include She Fled the Scene, who was second to Pacific Princess at this level May 26 at Gulfstream, and Swoonatra, who set the pace before finishing fourth in a $20,000 starter allowance June 11 at Gulfstream.

Long Range Toddy to Broome

Barboza is looking to win his second straight Gulfstream feature Friday after taking Sunday’s main event with Long Range Toddy. The Grade 2 winner won the seven-furlong allowance by 2 1/4 lengths and earned a 89 Beyer.

Barboza said Long Range Toddy will now be pointed for the $60,000 Edwin T. Broome Memorial, a one-mile overnight handicap Aug. 26 at Gulfstream.