With Hutcheson S. (G2) winner Flashpoint (Pomeroy) entered in the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) on Sunday, TRAVELIN MAN (Trippi) will likely inherit the favorite's role in the $150,000 Swale S. (G2) on the undercard. The seven-furlong test for sophomores only drew six runners and will start the stakes action off at Gulfstream Park as the 3RD race on the program.
Travelin Man ran in the Hutcheson as well, but the Todd Pletcher trainee was no match for Flashpoint while finishing second. He was easily best of the rest, though, crossing under the wire three lengths clear of third-place finisher and Swale rival LITTLE DRAMA (Burning Roma). While Little Drama racked up his sixth career start in that test, Travelin Man was actually making only his second start. The bay colt impressively broke his maiden by 7 1/4 lengths on January 6 to open his account, and will keep regular rider John Velazquez in the saddle for the Swale.
Little Drama was no stranger to stakes company, but was facing graded rivals for the first time in the Hutcheson. Breaking his maiden in the Frank Gomez Memorial S. at his homebase of Calder, the David Fawkes pupil was unable to factor in the Dr. Fager and In Reality divisions of the Florida Stallion S. He did sandwich a neck score against allowance rivals between those two events, and rallied from the rear of the Hutcheson to take third by 1 1/4 lengths over RAZMATAZ (Forest Wildcat). Joe Bravo was aboard for the chestnut's graded bow last out and will give it another try in the Swale.
BLACK N BEAUTY (Devil His Due) is looking for a bit of redemption in the Swale after being steadied and then pulled up in the Hutcheson last out. The Dale Romans charge was a nice maiden winner at Churchill Downs to close out his juvenile campaign, and showed promise when taking his sophomore bow at Gulfstream Park on January 7. Unfortunately, he was unable to threaten in his stakes debut, the Holy Bull S. (G3), and tired to fifth in that one-mile test. Paco Lopez takes the mount from Kent Desormeaux.
In addition to Razmataz, the Swale also features Group 2 winner INDIANO (Indian Charlie), runner-up in his first U.S. start on March 20, and recent O.B.S. Sprint S. victor MEGALITH (Trippi).