BIG FIELD LIKELY FOR EL PRADO
A large field is expected to contest the Saturday feature at Gulfstream Park, the grassy, $75,000 El Prado S. Group 1 hero Xin Xu Lin didn’t fare well off the shelf when racing on the main oval in his U. S. debut most recently, but the Kiaran McLaughlin trainee has a ton of back class on turf and surely could be the one with his best. The five-year-old dark bay could still be a bit rusty in just his second try since January, but shows some solid drills leading up to this and has kept some of the best grass company around. He was a solid fifth in the 2011 UAE Derby (UAE-G2).
Cliffhanger (G3) second Salto was last seen a solid fourth in the Fayette S. (G2) and could step up in this spot. The four-year-old son of Pivotal has done some fine work on the lawn in his lifetime and could be fully acclimated to the U. S. Grade 3 winner Roman Tiger, 2011 Remsen S. (G2) winner O’Prado Again, recent stakes winner Hobbs, multiple graded winner Get Serious, the hard-knocking Beau Choix, Grade 1 second Citrus Kid and possibly Dominus, a Grade 2 winner in his turf debut three back at Saratoga.