Off the Tracks and Gomo headline Gulfstream Park Oaks

Mohaymen and Nyquist it is not, but like the males, the female version of the Florida Derby features a match-up of two intriguing candidates from opposite coasts that will look to turn the Grade 2 affair into a virtual match race. The big two in the Gulfstream Park Oaks might not be as clear cut as the boy’s race, but from a proven class perspective, Off the Tracks and Gomo tower over this Florida prep for the May 6 Kentucky Oaks.

The filly to beat in the 1 1/16-mile event on the main track, carded as the seventh race on a big 14-race card, is the undefeated Off the Tracks. New to the Todd Pletcher barn, the daughter of Curlin is perfect in three starts in Florida and New York. After winning sharply in her debut last June at Gulfstream, the then Roderick Rodriguez trained filly took her show on the road to Saratoga. The result was an eye-opening dismantling of the Grade 3 Schuylerville field. After that flashy start to her racing career, she did not make it back to the races until February 21.

Showing the same stalk, pounce and roll methodology that proved so effective at two, Off the Tracks romped in the 6 ½-furlong Margate Stakes back in South Florida. At this point, there is no telling how good she could be, but the Gulfstream Park Oaks does present a new challenge. A horse’s first time around two-turns is always a question, but this one has the breeding and the looks to be able to make the successful transition from sprinting. Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez will hop aboard for the first time on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the team of Reddam, O’Neill, and Gutierrez have more on the line Saturday than only Nyquist. Like her more famous stablemate, Gomo is also by Uncle Mo, and also a Grade 1 winner. Gomo finished in the money in all five starts as a juvenile, but will be making her initial go as a sophomore. After a decent third place run in a dirt sprint, she won for fun in a one-mile race against other maidens on the Santa Anita lawn. She continued her dirt-turf pattern when finishing second and third in a pair of stakes at sunny Del Mar.

It was in her fifth and final start as a two-year-old where Gomo really broke through to notoriety. In her first start away from California, she caught a sloppy track for the Grade Alcibiades at Keeneland. It turned out to be an explosive union, as she cruised by nearly three lengths over the solid field. Proven at the distance, she certainly is the most likely to take advantage if the distance does not prove to be Off the Tracks cup of tea.

Of the others, there are a few potential interlopers who could have the goods to break up the game for the top two. Go Maggie Go, from the barn of Dale Romans comes in off a nice win. In fact, it was the daughter of Ghostzapper’s only career start. She won off by four lengths less than three weeks ago with the look of a potential stakes horse. Like he will do in the Florida Derby with Takeittotheedge, Romans has decided to roll the dice with his lightly raced filly. Though it took Paola Queen four tries to visit the winner’s circle, she has improved each time, and her speed figures put her in with a chance in here. The daughter of Flatter also adds the services of Javier Castellano to help her cause.

The rest of the Gulfstream Park Oaks seven consists of Mo’ Green, a nice maiden winner recently at Gulfstream Park in her second career start for trainer Joe Orseno, Double Entendre, who won her only career start in romping fashion at Sam Houston and has since transferred to the barn of Peter Walder, and finally Hold On Momma, who appears to be in the deep end of the pool in this one.