Courtesy of ShapperDaCapper
TOP PLAYS OF DAY- R8- #6 Queen Carla
BOXCARS OF DAY- R2- #1 Tiger Bourbon, R4- #4 Ellicottville, R5- #2 Secret Stash, R7- #2 Polo Art
RACE 1- 6-7-2-1
The new racing week at Gulfstream Park begins with a $10k optional claiming event at one mile over the main track. A number of these runners exit the December 19th event at the same distance and class level. That race was won by 2-1 ML favorite (2) Elusive Harmony. This five-year old mare broke well, grabbed an uncontested lead, and ran away in the end. The presence of other “need the lead” types should make things much different for the daughter of Peace Rules. We will use her only underneath in exotics. (6) Courtney Ryan is the 5-2 ML second choice. This six-year old mare has won 19 of 59 races in her career and should rebound from a poor second last out at 6-5. (7) Hot Coffee also makes sense as this mare gets a huge rider upgrade to Javier Castellano, but will have to prove she can beat the top choices.
RACE 2- 1-8-7-5
The second is a $35k non-winners of three lifetime event run at one mile over the Gulfstream Park turf. (8) March Reward is the 5-2 ML favorite for trainer Mike Maker and the Three Diamonds Farm. This five-year old son of Grand Reward has run his best races over this surface and drops in class off a win in his last. The drop is a bit suspicious, but she is the one to beat. We will use her but make our top choice and boxcar selection (1) Tiger Bourbon for trainer Eddie Kenneally. The Kentucky based trainer drops this four-year old son of Big Brown into the conditional claiming ranks for the first time and has been training well for her return off a brief freshening. Corey Lanerie fits the style of this gelding perfectly. She should be rolling late. (2) Say Ow and (9) Indiano Jones drop in class, but we prefer others. (7) Oklahoma Dan and (5) Greek God both make sense underneath.
RACE 3- 4-1-6-5
The third is a MSW event for fillies and mares four years old and upward run at six furlongs over the main track. This is a very competitive seven-horse group. (4) Wind Racer is the 5-2 ML favorite for trainer Marty Wolfson. Wolfson is only 10% with debut runners, but this one has been training lights out and has a huge chance on Wednesday. (3) Mine for Life is another first-time starter given a shot in here. This daughter of Distorted Humor has the look of a runner that wants to go further. We will side with others. (1) Lovely has ran three times and shown some ability in all three efforts. This James Jerkens runner draws the rail after ten months away from racing and should run a career best. (5) Frank’s Star and (6) Vitani are other first-time starters that are in with strong chances on Wednesday afternoon.
RACE 4- 4-1-8-6
The fourth is a $20k maiden claimer going five furlongs over the Gulfstream Park lawn. This turf sprint is full of career maidens including (6) Lloyd Harbor for trainer Jena Antonucci. This daughter of Langfuhr is 7-2 on the ML despite 15 starts without a victory. We will side with others on top. (1) Mongol Voice is the 8-5 ML favorite and hard to get excited about, but after a full review of the field it is easy to see why this one will take a lot of money. We will take a shot here with a horse that clearly has had some issues, but could be ready to run a career best. (4) Ellicottville tries the grass for the first time for trainer Joe Orseno and makes her second start off the layoff. She will not have to be much to beat this group and is worth a shot at anything near the 10-1 ML price.
RACE 5- 2-6-1-8
The fifth starts the Rainbow 6 and is a $50k maiden claimer going one mile over the turf. This is another group that has a number of logical contenders who have been at the maiden level for some time like 2-1 ML favorite (6) Rachel’s Temper. This daughter of Flatter has won over $40k, but has had 11 starts (including 4 at the claiming level,) and 0 wins to show for it. She makes sense, but others will provide greater value. (1) Singfit is 9-2 on the ML first off the claim for Chad Brown and the Ramsey’s, but the two and a half month gap since being claimed at Belmont Park is a bit concerning. (8) Saratoga Lake returns from over a year off for trainer Mark Hennig. This daughter of Rock Hard Ten is bred well for the lawn, but may need one. We are going to take a big shot here with another runner off the long layoff. (2) Secret Stash could run last, but the 20-1 ML for the connections of Vicki Oliver and G Watts Humphrey, Jr. is just too juicy to pass up. The trainer statistics do not tell the true story, as Oliver is quite capable of having this daughter of Candy Ride ready to roll. Bombs away!
RACE 6- 3-5-1-2
The sixth is a $6250 conditional claimer at six panels over the main track. (1) Twinkling Time is the 9-5 ML favorite on the decent form and the significant drop in class. This daughter of Roman Ruler looks to be in a nice spot for trainer Rohan Crichton, but she is 0 for 3 over this oval. (2) Arnhem draws to the favorite’s outside for trainer Ricky Griffith and this one is in with a chance too. She will have to translate her Woodbine synthetic form to the Gulfstream Park dirt. She did win in her lone dirt start at Fort Erie in August. (3) The Spirit Within will be our top selection in here for trainer Jane Cibelli. This filly drops in class and goes turf-to-dirt. She appears spotted to win. (5) Look of A Star is also in with a big shot first off the claim for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. This filly draws Javier Castellano and has been training forwardly for this one.
RACE 7- 2-6-8-10
The seventh race starts the late Pick 4 and is a state-bred MSW event for three-year olds run at six furlongs. (1) Total Joint breaks from the rail in his third career start for trainer Jason Servis. This son of Tiz Wonderful has burnt some serious money thus far and the rail and a tougher group will have us looking towards others. (4) Abounding Legacy exits the same last race as Total Joint. This son of Flashstorm had a poor break, but came running late to barely get second. We really are not enthralled with second-time starters that break poorly and run on late in their first because they likely will encounter a totally different voyage in their second race. When a horse is able to sit in the back and make one run, they avoid some of the trip troubles they will encounter in races where they are racing amongst the pack. The lack of value here makes him a play against for us on Wednesday. (8) Cool Man Walkin makes his second career start for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. after a third-place effort in his debut. He should improve in this group, but his last race was not that visually impressive and he will likely be an underlay. (6) Saraguaro is one runner we will use on all of our tickets. This colt is the second of the uncoupled Saffie Joseph entry and is cutting back in distance in his fifth career start. He has reportedly been training well and should be rolling late for apprentice Tyler Gaffalione. Our top choice and boxcar selection in this group will be (2) Polo Art for trainer Dale Romans. This son of Northern Afleet has faced strong open company maiden groups in Kentucky and should get a perfect trip under veteran jockey John Velazquez. (5) Dreaming of Frank, (9) Valiant Knight, and (10) Eddie G are all first-time starters worth watching in the paddock. They could blow up the tote board and the late horizontals.
RACE 8- 6-10-9-1
The eighth is a $50k maiden claimer for three-year old fillies sprinting over the main track. We really like the look of first-time starter (6) Queen Carla. Gustavo Delgado who excels at debut maiden claiming events trains this Rontos Racing Stable runner. Delgado was a nose from stealing one on Sunday at 40-1 and Javier Castellano jumps on this daughter of the precocious Tiz Wonderful. She looks very live in a group that appears below average for this meet. She will be our top play of the day. (10) Meetmeforasmoke is the most intriguing of the runners with experience. This daughter of Smoke Glacken drops in class and puts on blinkers for her third career start for David Kassen. (1) Cotton Eyed Josie, (3) Arella Princess, and (9) Moonchaser are all first-time starters that will be huge prices and could outrun their odds.
RACE 9- 4-9-11-1
The ninth is the $60,000 Miami Shores Handicap for fillies and mares run at seven panels over the Gulfstream Park main track. 2-1 ML favorite (11) Wedding Toast who returns to the races after a 9-month layoff leads this 12-horse field. This Godolphin Racing runner has clearly had her share of issues, but has been incredible when able to get to the track. She is 4 for 6 with 2 runner up finishes in her career, but one has to wonder why the extended layoff after the strong effort in the Cat Cay at Aqueduct. If Wedding Toast does not win, this race is absolutely wide-open and worth using an ALL if you can afford it. (1) Best Behavior and (4) Ol Donyo are probably the most likely to spring the upset, but we also can make strong cases for (9) Cabo Queen, (2) Rose to Gold, (10) Quiet Hour and (6) Flores Island.
RACE 10- 2-4-8-1
The finale is a five-furlong turf sprint for $20k maiden claimers. This is another wide-open affair led by 3-1 ML favorite (2) Hectors Pride. This son of Cowtown Cat drops in class after a few solid efforts at this distance. Jose Lezcano gets the call for the first time. He makes a ton of sense, but will be a short price. (4) Torrid Heat returns to the races for trainer Wesley Ward after over a year and a half away from racing, but if anyone can have him ready it is Ward. (8) Nantucketeer must be respected based on speed and his connections, but he had 6 starts for a strong barn and could not get the job done. We prefer others. (1) Orchlee is an intriguing debut runner for George Weaver and Shamrock Farm, but we question why this half to productive runner Monument Hill would be in for a tag in his first race. (5) Acapulquito and (6) First Dibs both debut for Efren Loza, Jr who can have them ready first out, but both have some question marks attached to them as well. Same is true of (11) Big Ven for trainer Giuseppe Iadisernia.
GOOD LUCK TODAY!
