Check the marquee lightbulbs for Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park this Saturday as the Florida Derby and Arkansas Derby Day cards are packed. We’ll dive into those races as well as headliners at Santa Anita and Turfway.
Let’s get on the fast track to the weekend.
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12:28 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 3 | $165K Cutler Bay Stakes
Tempo looks very manageable in this 7-1/2 furlong turf tilt for #5 Wakan and #9 Forged Steel to dictate things, while the former should be the more appealing price after chasing a front-running freak in the Colonel Liam Stakes.
12:57 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 4 | $165K Orchid Stakes
Not only does #2 La Mehana have a better draw than last time when third in the The Very One Stakes, but she lures Irad Ortiz Jr. and gets more pace help on paper for this 1-1/2 miles journey.
1:56 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 6 | $215K Pan American Stakes
Classy #4 Far Bridge could give trainer Christophe Clement a sweep of the 12-furlong turf stakes on the card as the Breeders’ Cup Turf alumnus looks to win fresh at Gulfstream in his seasonal return for the second straight year.
2:26 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 7 | $165K Ghostzapper Stakes
Breeders’ Cup Classic and Pegasus World Cup winner #4 White Abarrio should roll by them late in his 1-1/16 miles tuneup for the Grade 1 Met Mile, but the sixteenth-pole finish line may help #2 Tuscan Sky or #6 One Sharp Cookie hold for the bottom of the exacta.
3:04 pm ET | Oaklawn Park | Race 6 | $250K Matron Stakes
#4 Almostgone Rocket will be a short price to advance to 4-for-4, but she must reestablish her form and face a pace challenge from #6 Haulin Ice, which gives hope that #1 Benedetta can punch past late after just missing against the talented Justique in the Carousel Stakes.
3:31 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 9 | $250K Gulfstream Park Oaks
#4 Five G rates a very deserving favorite – off her Cash Run Stakes win here 2 starts back and a strong second in Oaklawn’s Honeybee when splitting accomplished fillies Quietside and Muhimma – and I’ll look to land #6 Cassiar second.
4:06 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 10 | $165K Sanibel Island Stakes
This meeting’s Ginger Brew and Hercomesthebride Stakes in this 3-year-old turf filly division both had absolute blanket finishes, so I’ll go for a fresh face in #8 Bunratty Manor off a very sharp first route bid and maiden win.
4:17 pm ET | Oaklawn Park | Race 8 | $500K Oaklawn Mile Stakes
Perhaps reaching a bit here, but 20-1 morning line shot #5 Dimatic will get a very hot pace to rally into and his similar-style Steve Asmussen stablemate Red Route One had the kind of wakeup in last Saturday’s $500,000 Essex Stakes (coming out of the same race as Dimatic) that we’re looking for here.
4:40 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 11 | $165K Army Mule Stakes
#4 Knightsbridge has been working much stronger since his surprising return defeat than he did going into it, so expect the often heavily bet runner to turn the tables at 7 furlongs vs. Feb. 15 upsetter Inveigled.
5:00 pm ET | Santa Anita Park | Race 3 | $100K San Carlos Stakes
Odds-on favorite #1 Pilot Commander should punch out these 4 rivals, but #5 Vlahos has a chance to complete the exacta as the longest price in the morning line at 12-1 as he returns to his favorite Santa Anita dirt surface and draws cozily.
5:15 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 12 | $165K Sand Springs Stakes
A wicked pace projection here has me fishing for the best finisher and #6 Breath Away and #9 Buttercream Babe fit the bill on BRIS late pace figures, giving preference to the former on what could be a huge day for Christophe Clement.
5:32 pm ET | Oaklawn Park | Race 10 | $145K Eclipse Overnight Stakes
I get it that #1 Get Her Number hasn’t run in a year and a half, but we’ve seen trainer Peter Miller work some wizardry with older sprinters and this 7-year-old has had Grade 1 credentials when he’s put together and appeals around the 15-1 morning line.
5:57 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 13 | $165K Appleton Stakes
Turf mile races in early spring often are havens for horses returning from long layoffs, and if the Gulfstream-loving #6 Abrumar can handle elders for the first time, he’s the key-box here with #9 Major Dude (solid favorite), #11 Ice Chocolat and #2 Fly the W.
6:12 pm ET | Oaklawn Park | Race 11 | $145K American Pharoah Overnight Stakes
Really like the early-late uncoupled Brad Cox combo here with #1 Bishops Bay gassing the other speed from the rail and #6 Liberal Arts picking up the late pieces for same-team exacta.
6:42 pm ET | Gulfstream Park | Race 14 | $1 million Florida Derby
#9 Tappan Street has been pointed to the Florida Derby since nearly pulling off the Holy Bull on the rapid rise, and his workout tab twice besting elder, speedy class horse Saudi Crown tips him as my mild upsetter to #8 Madaket Road and likely favorite #10 Sovereignty.
7:02 pm ET | Oaklawn Park | Race 12 | $750K Fantasy Stakes
Favorites #5 Quietside and #7 Simply Joking deserve top billing and the former has the local experience edge and beat arguably a tougher field in the Honeybee last out when besting Five G and Muhimma, who could be the favorites in the Gulfstream Park Oaks and Ashland in upcoming starts.
7:43 pm ET | Santa Anita Park | Race 8 | $100K Wilshire Stakes
Facing the likes of Cavalieri and Hope Road on dirt in recent starts could make this field feel like an opening act for #3 Alpha Bella, who has had more success on turf and finally gets back to what she does best.
7:48 pm ET | Oaklawn Park | Race 13 | $1.5 million Arkansas Derby
Not interested in any sort of gamble here as the Rebel alumni were in a race 5 full seconds slower the 3-4Q compared to the 1-2Q, while shameless top pick #9 Cornucopian could be any kind and run wild at a short price or hit a brick wall trying to add 3 furlongs off his dazzling maiden romp.
8:25 pm ET | Turfway Park | Race 6 | $125K Serena’s Song Stakes
#5 Long Neck Paula likely will be overbet off her strong 2-year-old dirt form for Wesley Ward, helping keep honest prices on unbeaten Tapeta performers #9 Bilyana (top choice) and #10 Bourbon Memory (certainly worth including).
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