The Lead:
Saturday will be Pegasus Preview Day at Gulfstream Park with a series of stakes providing the steppingstones to January 25. We'll focus on the 1-1/16 miles Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday, the day's prep for the Pegasus World Cup main event. The Harlan's Holiday, inaugurated in 2011, is named for early 2000s Gulfstream great who won both the Florida Derby and Donn Handicap.
Saturday's Harlan's Holiday and Gulfstream card will be part of an Exacta-Thon promotion with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet that also includes races from Laurel Park.
Field Depth:
Grade 2 winner STEAL SUNSHINE is joined in the field of 8 by the likes of Grade 3 winners TUMBARUMBA and ROCKET CAN. Listed stakes winners include TUSCAN SKY and VITALITY. Note SUPER CORINTO was a Group 1 winner in Chile. TUMBARUMBA and STEAL SUNSHINE have consistently held the strongest company lines in the field.
Pace:
Inside speed at 1-1/16 miles is quite advantageous with the track configuration at Gulfstream. The inner-4 posts here all have some designs on or near the lead, led by CAPE TRAFALGAR, TUMBRARUMBA, TUSCAN SKY and DIGITAL OPS. The pace should be solid to quick.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-TUSCAN SKY: Todd Pletcher takes aim at a fourth Harlan's Holiday winner with this 3-year-old who has yet to take on elders. Returned from 3-month break to run solid second in the Discovery at Aqueduct and figures to be in the mix throughout with a positive draw. Time was fast in Dec. 14 work at Palm Beach Downs, but was outworked that day in company with elder turf runner Major Dude and was never able to get on even terms.
#2-TUMBARUMBA: Fair to consider him a 1-turn mile specialist, but his 3 most recent 2-turn races are all top-3 stakes finishes within 1-1/2 lengths of the winner each time. Trainer Brian Lynch turns the reins over to Tyler Gaffalione for the first time, a rider who won this race last year aboard O'Connor. Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile fourth-place finisher saw Post Time come out of that race as runner-up and finish a closing third in the Cigar Mile. Fits again.
#3-CAPE TRAFALGAR: Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. looks for a Harlan's Holiday Stakes 3-peat (Skippylongstocking '22, O'Connor '23). This is 1 of 3 Josephn trainees in the field Saturday and the most likely pacesetter. Inconsistent sort hasn't been able to pair up strong efforts this year, so a 2-month break since a Keeneland allowance win may help some. Two turns are a big question on pedigree and lack of experience doing so.
#4-DIGITAL OPS: Aqueduct allowance winner October 26 since has been transferred from Chad Brown to Saffie Joseph Jr. All or nothing through 5 starts, his wins have come when on the front end, and losses resulting in races where the Nyquist colt can't make the front. Not sure he's quick enough to get on top vs. these. Dylan Davis is 2-for-2 aboard him, though, and rides in his South Florida initial foray.
#5-VITALITY: Canadian-bred won September's Prince of Wales at Fort Erie to wrap his nation's Tripple Crown and now takes on elders for the first time. Decent tries stateside in Kentucky allowance races since, but this Street Boss colt might be a slight cut below these. Will require a career-best effort.
#6-STEAL SUNSHINE: Gulfstream Mile winner in March was fourth in this race last year with a late move, and that late kick was on display here Nov. 22 in a strong allowance prep. But he's never won in 5 starts at 1-1/16 miles and that sixteenth-pole finish line really challenges his running style. A lot to like about a 5-year-old with an outstanding record over this track -- the short stretch finish notwithstanding.
#7-ROCKET CAN: The 2023 Holy Bull winner and Fountain of Youth runner-up returns to the scene of his best efforts. Will the track perk up his performances, or was he an early developer who hasn't progressed much at age 4? Sluggish from the gate at times and rarely fires unless he gets into the mix earlier. You'll know by the time they hit the backstretch where he's at currently. Demand a solid price to find out -- and that's been rare for a horse often solidly bet.
#8-SUPER CORINTO: Argentine-bred was a major player in Chile in 2022 and showed promise upcoming coming to the US that fall with a Gulfstream allowance win. But he's made only 4 starts since to no positive results. Moved from Amador Sanchez to Ignacio Correas to Saffie Joseph Jr. looking for improvement. Joseph did win this race with a 6-year-old South American import O'Connor 2 years ago, but his 7-length defeat to Steal Sunshine in a local allowance prep doesn't inspire confidence.
Most Certain Exotics Contender:
TUMBRARUMBA has 9 straight superfecta finishes (11 of his last 12) and has not missed the exacta in 3 tries on the Gulfstream main.
Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
DIGITAL OPS is drawn decently and has some pace, if employed, to be in the hunt and hold for a minor share.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$75 win TUMBRARUMBA. $25 exacta TUMBRARUMBA over STEAL SUNSHINE.
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