Impressive Maiden Winner Zaajel Returns in Forward Gal

Shadwell Stable's homebred Zaajel dazzled first time out with a 7 1/4-length winning debut at Gulfstream Park. On Jan. 30 she'll step up in company at the South Florida oval as she faces seven other 3-year-old fillies in the $100,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3), which offers qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 scale toward one of 14 spots in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) starting gate April 30 at Churchill Downs.

Todd Pletcher-trained Zaajel will cover the same seven-furlong distance in the Forward Gal as she did in her maiden race. In that Dec. 20 event, the Street Sense  filly shifted out from behind kickback in the early stages in which she was fourth, raced four wide, and inched her way to the lead before drawing away under Luis Saez. She'll have Saez back aboard Saturday when she breaks from post 7.

"She was very impressive in her debut and she's trained great since then," Pletcher said. "Ideally, I'd kind of like to run her in an allowance race, but we don't really have an option at the moment. Considering how well she ran at the distance and over the surface here, we'll give it a try. The seven furlongs was no problem in her debut."

John Minchello's Competitive Speed didn't cause the same stir when she won her first race in her second start—a 6 1/2-furlong maiden claimer in the slop Nov. 12 at Gulfstream Park West—but she has worked her way up the ranks to three straight wins. The most recent of those was a three-length victory, again at 6 1/2 furlongs, in the Jan. 2 Glitter Woman Stakes at Gulfstream. In between those two efforts, the Competitive Edge  filly rallied to win a six-furlong starter optional claiming race Dec. 6.

"She's always doing better every day, and that's happened from the very first day that she came to the barn," said trainer Javier Gonzalez. "When she came to us and started training and working and getting condition, she was doing better. When we put her in company, she did better. Whatever we ask her to do, she did better. She's passed every test.

"This is going to be a big test, but I think she can make it. She's doing good and she is one of those horses that is never going to make you look bad. I think she's going to run a very good race."

Jockey Leonel Reyes has ridden Competitive Speed in all four of her previous starts and has the mount again in post 3.

Competitive Speed will again face Legacy Ranch's Coach Jer's Joy, who debuted in the same Oct. 31 maiden special weight at Gulfstream Park West as Competitive Speed and won. Coach Jer's Joy has not raced since that effort. The Palace filly trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from the outside.

    

Stakes-placed Lady Traveler, allowance captor Wholebodemeister, and maiden winners Three Tipsy Chix, Queen Arella, and Dial to Win complete the field.

Entries: Forward Gal S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, January 30, 2021, Race 9

• Grade III
• 7f
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo Fillies
• 3:46 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Wholebodemeister (KY)	Edgard J. Zayas	120	Juan Carlos Avila	10/1
2	2Three Tipsy Chix (KY)	Julien R. Leparoux	118	Ian R. Wilkes	5/1
3	3Competitive Speed (KY)	Leonel Reyes	120	Javier E. Gonzalez	8/1
4	4Queen Arella (NY)	Junior Alvarado	118	Roderick R. Rodriguez	20/1
5	5Dial to Win (KY)	Paco Lopez	118	Timothy A. Hills	20/1
6	6Lady Traveler (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	118	Dale L. Romans	4/1
7	7Zaajel (KY)	Luis Saez	118	Todd A. Pletcher	7/5
8	8Coach Jer's Joy (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	9/2