Ready for Rye Exits Swale in Good Order

Trainer Tom Albertrani reported Sunday morning that Chalk Racing’s Ready for Rye was doing well following his win in Saturday’s $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Swale Stakes (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The son of City Zip scored the first stakes victory of his four-race career in the Swale, defeating Grade 1 winner and post-time favorite Daredevil by 2 ¾ lengths. The fourth choice in the field of six, the colt posted a final time of 1:22.39 in the seven-furlong contest. Albertrani mentioned the Bay Shore (G3) at Aqueduct on April 4 as a possible next target for his trainee, who also finished second in Gulfstream’s Spectacular Bid Stakes on Jan. 3 to Barbados, who would go on to win the Hutcheson (G3) at Gulfstream in his next start.

“He looked fine this morning,” Albertrani said. “I think for now [we’re going to keep him sprinting]. I’m not convinced that he might go that far, but he got a 109 Beyer out of the race [Saturday], so that’s pretty impressive. I think if we stick to a seven-eighths race like the Bay Shore that might be good spot to try him again, and maybe go from there.”

Albertrani, who saddled three winners on Saturday’s card, including his first of the winter meet, said he was most impressed with the way Ready for Rye composed himself in the Swale.

“He looked like he was just traveling so easily on the outside of X Y Jet,” he said. “He just seemed to be very comfortable. He wasn’t overly anxious, as he was in the Spectacular Bid. He was a little bit too strong on the bridle [in that race], and yesterday he looked like he was just galloping on the outside of that horse, and he just kind of took off on his own, and I thought it was a pretty impressive race for him.”

Plans Indefinite for Palm Beach Stakes Winner Eh Cumpari

Trainer Michael Dilger also reported that Palm Beach (G3) winner Eh Cumpari exited his race well. The victory was the colt’s first in a stake of any kind, having previously finished a rallying fifth in Gulfstream’s Kitten’s Joy Stakes and ninth in the Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct. The Palm Beach was just his second start on turf; he circled the field eight-wide to get up for a neck score.

“His turn of foot was great,” Dilger said. “Plus, when you look at the Trakus information, he went farther than anybody else. Everybody else traveled less distance than he did. It’s obviously the style he prefers. He won his maiden race the same way.”

A son of Elusive Quality, Eh Cumpari broke his maiden on dirt by 3 ¼ lengths after launching a nine-wide bid in the stretch. Having that on his resume, Dilger is keeping his options open for the colt on both surfaces.

“He looks good this morning,” he said. “We’re not sure yet what we’re going to do with him. We’re not sure where we’re going to run next. We’ll see what happens.”

Source: Gulfstream Park Press Release