Boerne caps big weekend for trainer Avila with sharp Gulfstream win
De Luca and Sons Stable’s Boerne romped to her third straight open-lengths victory in Sunday’s feature race at Gulfstream Park, capping off trainer Juan Carlos Avila’s big weekend.
A day after Avila-trained and Gulfstream-based King Guillermo followed up his Tampa Bay Derby (G1) victory with a solid second-place finish behind heavily favored Nadal in a division of the Arkansas Derby (G1) at Oaklawn, Boerne notched a 4 ¼-length victory in the ninth race, a 6 ½-furlong allowance for 3-year-old fillies.
Boerne ($4.60) broke quickly from the gate to open up a clear lead on the backstretch under a motionless Edgard Zayas and continued on to notch a dominating score, running 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.20 after posting uncontested fractions of 22.86 and 45.66 for the first half-mile.
“She does everything so easy. She breaks out of the gate fast and as soon as she takes the lead, she relaxes really good,” Zayas said. “I know she has more in the tank.”
The Texas-bred daughter of Fed Biz, who was purchased for $10,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling sale, debuted with a troubled off-the-board finish at Gulfstream Park West in November prior to romping in her next three at Gulfstream.
Boerne broke her maiden March 15 by 3 ½ lengths before capturing an April 11 optional claiming allowance by 7 ¼ lengths and winning her third straight Sunday.
“She’s a fun Texas-bred filly. She’s pretty fast and handles things really good. So far, she’s done everything we’ve asked her,” said Zayas, who rode three winners Sunday. “I think she has more in the tank. I’m very excited to see her future.”
Zayas came back to capture race No. 11, an allowance allowance for fillies and mares aboard trainer Gustavo Delgado’s Cory Gal ($7). The 4-year-old daughter of Corfu collected her third-straight win after pressing the pace and drawing clear through the stretch to win by 2 ½ lengths, running six furlongs in 1:11.06.
Zayas also scored aboard Competitive Saint ($14.60), a George Weaver-trained debut winners in Race 4.