Undefeated Kentucky Derby prospect Gemologist returned from a layoff of 3-1/2 months for a seventh-length victory Friday an $80,000 allowance race at Gulfstream Park
The 3-year-old son of Tiznow, idle since he won the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs in November, raced to his fourth straight victory. His time for a mile was 1 minute, 35.95 seconds.
Ridden by Javier Castellano and trained by Todd Pletcher for WinStar Farm, Gemologist returned $3.40 for a $2 win bet. Previously undefeated Currency Swap was second, and Angel's Tune was third.
''Physically, I thought he got everything he needed out of the race that we had hoped for, running a mile in 1:35-and-four, and he galloped out really well,'' said Pletcher, who will confer with WinStar Farm president Elliott Walden about the Kentucky-bred colt's next race. ''From a time standpoint, it will be a race on either April 7 or April 14.''
Options for Gemologist are the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on April 7, and the Blue Grass at Keeneland and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 14.
Currency Swap, who underwent surgery to remove a chip from his left ankle last fall, won a maiden race and the Hopeful in his two previous starts.
''He was fine, nice and relaxed. We just wanted him to lay off the other horse (Gemologist), and the pace was a little slow in the beginning,'' trainer Terri Pompay said. ''The other horse ran away from him a little bit, but he did everything we wanted. We got the race into him.''
