Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Gunnevera drills for Woodward
Gunnevera worked Friday morning at his Gulfstream Park West base as he continues preparations for the Grade 1, $750,000 Woodward next Saturday at Saratoga. He is scheduled to arrive in New York this Sunday, according to trainer Antonio Sano.
Gunnevera, a multiple Grade 2 winner who ran second in last year’s Travers at Saratoga, has a year-end goal of the Breeders’ Cup Classic. He returned from a layoff earlier this month at Gulfstream Park, rolling by 6 1/2 lengths in an allowance route Aug. 10. Gunnevera had been sidelined by an injury to his right front hoof sustained in his eighth-place finish in the Dubai World Cup March 31.
The work Friday was his second since the allowance win at Gulfstream. He was credited with a six-furlong move in 1:13.20 on a track rated fast. Edgard Zayas worked Gunnevera. Tito Fuentes, agent for Zayas, said the Sano barn had the horse going five-eighths in company in 1:00.60 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.20.
Zayas was aboard Gunnevera for his recent allowance win and has the mount in the Woodward.
Sano was pleased with the move Friday.
“He worked really good,” he said. “He’s got his mind on business.”
Gunnevera was scheduled to van out Friday night. He will have a layover to break up the trip before arriving Sunday morning at Saratoga.
Gunnevera was fifth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Sano also had Bella Ciao out for a work Friday at Gulfstream Park West. She went fiveeighths in 1:01.80. Bella Ciao is a candidate for the Grade 1, $350,000 Spinaway on Sept. 1 at Saratoga.
Key race points to Four K’s
Four K’s seeks to become the sixth next-out winner to emerge from a May race at Gulfstream Park when she runs in the track’s featured eighth race on Sunday. She is part of an eight-horse field for the first-level allowance sprint for Florida-breds.
Four K’s last raced May 12, finishing sixth in an optional $16,000 turf route for fillies and mares bred in Florida. The winner, Bitacora, returned to capture the $100,000 Ginger Punch at Gulfstream Park, while the runner-up, Midnight Soiree, came back to take the $117,000 Martha Washington at Gulfstream. In addition, the third-, fourth-, and 10th-place finishers from the May 12 race won back in their next start, all at Gulfstream.
Four K’s on Sunday will be the last horse to run back out of the May 12 race. She will be cutting back from a mile to six furlongs, and earlier in her career she won her maiden at a sprint distance on a synthetic surface at Presque Isle Downs. Four K’s, a daughter of the Service Stripe stallion Field Commission, is making her dirt debut Sunday.
The probable favorite Sunday is Speed Star, coming off a runner-up finish against similar July 15 at Gulfstream. Since the start, she’s worked threeeighths in 34.60 seconds on a fast track Aug. 17 at Gulfstream.
Lawyer also a trainer
Michael Laurato is a longestablished racehorse owner and attorney who has added a new title to his name. He’s a winning trainer now, courtesy of Ashley’s Rose on Aug. 12 at Gulfstream. Laurato has eight horses in training as part of his new venture, based in Ocala, Fla.
“I just wanted to be more hands-on,” he told publicity at Gulfstream. “I like getting up in the morning and working with them, and to see the plan coming to fruition like this is really special.”
Laurato also continues to practice law.
◗ Trainer Kathleen O’Connell, who has Awesome Clue in the fourth race Sunday at Gulfstream, is moving closer to a career milestone. She was at 1,993 Thoroughbred wins in North America through Thursday.
◗ There was a Rainbow 6 jackpot carryover of $95,804 heading into the Friday card.