BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Baoma Corporation’s homebred Condora and Soldi Stable’s homebred Welcome Back are among five Florida-bred filles and two others set for the featured seventh race at Gulfstream Park Sunday, a $50,000 optional claiming starter allowance set for five furlongs on synthetic. Seven 3-year-old fillies will be in pursuit of the winner’s share of the $44,000 purse.
Condora, a homebred daughter of Bridlewood Farm stallion Valiant Minister, has been a solid performer with three wins in her five starts this year after finishing out of the money in her only effort as a 2-year-old in November of 2023.
She trounced a field of $12,500 maiden claiming fillies in March, winning by more than nine lengths going five furlongs on the all-weather surface, then finished third in her next start against $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance fillies on synthetic in April. She bounced back to win a $16,000 optional claiming starter allowance for fillies and mares sprinting five-and-a-half furlongs on synthetic on May 24.
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. placed her against more difficult company for her first start on grass in July and she responded with a nearly two-length score against first condition, $75,000 optional claiming fillies going five furlongs on July 5. In one race since, she was second to Cart Girl Sam in a first condition, $20,000 optional claiming for Florida-bred fillies and mares on the turf on Aug. 2.
Condora is out of Resilient Humor, by Distorted Humor and has won half of her six career starts with a second and a third while banking $85,550.
Leonel Reyes takes the call of Condora, who is the 9-5 morning line favorite with post five.
Welcome Back won the $100,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes Desert Vixen at Gulfstream in September of last year in her second career start after breaking her maiden against winners.
She was sidelined after the Desert Vixen then returned in May to finish fifth in the $80,000 Honey Ryder won by De Regreso going a mile on the turf at Gulfstream. In her only race since, the Jose D’Angelo trainee was a troubled seventh in the $75,000 Martha Washington, also won by De Regreso, going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on synthetic on June 8.
Welcome Back has earned $94,330 in her four races and is the 3-1 third choice on the morning line. She is by Ocala Stud stallion Adios Charlie out of Lady Marchella, by Afleet Alex.
Welcome Back will break from the inside post one with Edwin Gonzalez aboard.
Rounding out the field are Florida-bred Lucy’s Cookie and jockey Luca Panici, Florida-bred Fields of Green with Miguel Vasquez named to ride, Edgar Perez takes the call on Roscoe Village, Vindicate Cha Cha with rider Emisael Jaramillo and Florida-bred Escape Room will have Drayden Van Dyke in the irons.
