Quijote a standout if ready

Having proven competitive with the likes of X Y Jet and Recruiting Ready already this year, Quijote should be in for a cakewalk Sunday at Gulfstream Park.

Problem is, the 6-year-old gelding hasn’t raced in more than four months, and he’ll be facing capable opposition when the $48,000 feature is run at 6 1/2 furlongs and amid fading daylight at the South Florida track.

A 23-1 winner of the Sunshine Millions Sprint – a Jan. 19 race in which he earned an eye-catching 103 Beyer Speed Figure while the huge favorite X Y Jet faded to fourth – Quijote then was a creditable runnerup behind Recruiting Ready in the Grade 3 Gulfstream Sprint

in early March.

Quijote then finished last in a restricted stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on March 31, after which trainer Georgina Baxter gave him a brief respite. Since midJune, the Midwest Thoroughbreds colorbearer has been sent through seven workouts at Gulfstream, three of them earning bullets.

If Quijote isn’t quite ready for his best when he breaks from post 3 under Emisael Jaramillo, an upset could come from any of a handful of rivals in a field of six seasoned sprinters, most notably Soldollie, Field Trip, or Hard Belle.

The feature is the 11th of 12 races and the last of three allowances on a program that begins at 1:15 p.m. Eastern. The two others, each with a $47,000 purse, go as races 5 and 7. The feature is part of the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 7-12), which had a carryover jackpot of nearly $500,000 when racing began Friday.

After Sunday, Gulfstream goes dark for three days before another four-day week begins Thursday. The next stakes is the $100,000 Benny the Bull on Aug. 24.

KEY CONTENDERS

Quijote, by Pomeroy Last 3 Beyers: 65-97-103

◗ The Florida-bred has proven class, having won seven races and more than $330,000 prior to this season. Soldollie, by Soldat Last 3 Beyers: 87-85-64

◗ One of the likely pacesetters from his rail post, this 4-year-old has won two of four starts since being claimed last summer by trainer Aubrey Maragh.

Field Trip, by Field Commission Last 3 Beyers: 80-97-70

◗ First or second in eight of his last 12 starts, this 5-year-old has become one of the more reliable upperlevel sprinters on this circuit.

Hard Belle, by Hard Spun Last 3 Beyers: 81-79-51

◗ The lone 3-year-old in the lineup, he is unbeaten in two starts since being claimed in mid-May by the Imaginary Stables.