Amstrong given second chance in Saturday’s Tropical Park Derby

Trainer Jose D’Angelo has decided to give Soldi Stable LLC and Ohana Racing LLC’s Amstrong a second chance on turf in Saturday’s $125,000 Tropical Park Derby at Gulfstream Park.

The multiple stakes-winning son of Tapwrit’s only prior start on turf, a distant off-the-board finish in the July 7 Manila (G3) at Belmont Park, will hardly flatter his chances in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds on Saturday’s 11-race program that will also feature the $100,000 Tropical Park Oaks, $100,000 Mr. Prospector (G3) and the $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3).

“I know we have a heavy handicap against the other horses, but we have to try him because he gallops good on the grass,” said D’Angelo, who stables Amstrong at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training center in Palm Beach County.

Following a pair of main-track sprint races to open his career, Amstrong graduated with style by four lengths while making his two-turn and Tapeta debuts April 15. He came right back to score by 3 ¾ lengths in the Not Surprising Stakes on Tapeta June 10, before being shipped to Belmont Park for his turf debut in the Manila (G3). Sent to post at 30-1, Amstrong was never a factor while finishing seventh.

“When I decided to go to New York, he was galloping very good on grass,” trainer Jose D’Angelo said.

Amstrong went on to finish a respectable third in a dirt allowance at Laurel before returning to Gulfstream, where he extended his undefeated streak on Tapeta to four in a row with back-to-back victories in the Bear’s Den and Showing Up. He sustained his first loss on the all-weather surface with a close second-place finish in the $100,000 Sabal Palm while facing older rivals for the first time.

“I like him because he’s improving with every race, if you look at his numbers,” D’Angelo said. “Last time was his first time against older horses and he handled it very well.”

Miguel Vasquez, who has been aboard for all five of Amstrong’s Tapeta starts, has the return call.