The Lead:
We'll stay at Gulfstream Park for a third straight Race of the Week analysis after $361 and $451 returns the past 2 weeks. Florida Derby and Kentucky Derby prospects strut their stuff Saturday in the Holy Bull Stakes. It’s part of a 5-stakes menu on a 12-race card that also includes Oaks hopefuls in the Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes, our Xpressbet Race of the Week. The Forward Gal goes as Race 10 and features 6 last-out winners and a pair of narrow runners-up in the field of 8.
Horseplayers at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet be sure to take advantage of a $1,000 Late Pick 4 Hit & Split on Saturday’s card at Gulfstream Park, which includes the Forward Gal as well as the featured Holy Bull Stakes.
Field Depth:
Grade 3 winner MYTHICAL (pictured) has the field’s signature score to date. Listed stakes winners include TESSELLATE, SNEAKY GOOD and ON TIME GIRL. Hard to argue against MYTHICAL having held the strongest strength of schedule over the course of her 5 prior stakes bids.
Pace:
For a 7-furlong sprint, this race doesn’t have a serious of obvious pace players, though every filly in the field has shown the ability to be 1-2 early when called upon. It’s a difficult pace projection with so much style versatility.
Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.
#1-MUSIC BURST: Churchill maiden breaker Nov. 13 against well-bred Cox filly who returned to win Jan. 4 at Gulfstream. Runner-up in Turfway allowance behind multiple stakes-placed filly, so this one has kept solid running lines despite this being her first stakes attempt. Trainer Rusty Arnold won this race in 2023 and jockey Luis Saez has owned the Forward Gal – winning 4 of the last 5 editions and 5 times overall.
#2-TESSELLATE: Two-time stakes winner at Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs for Saffie Joseph Jr., who saddled the 1-2 finishers in last week’s Pegasus World Cup. One of 3 fillies in field to have already won over 7 furlongs. Joseph won this race in 2020 and 2024 and turns the reins over to Junior Alvardo for the first time as Edgard Zayas rides Mythical on Saturday.
#3-SECANE: Second shot here for Saffie Joseph Jr. to notch a third Forward Gal victory, this filly finished third in the Tempted at Aqueduct and most recently Gulfstream’s Cash Run. Daughter of Florida Derby winner Audible is proven over the track with a maiden romp here last summer. Jockey Micah Husbands rides for the first time as Irad Ortiz Jr. hops to pilot On Time Girl.
#4-MYTHICAL: Rolled to back-to-back Florida Sire Stakes series victories to close a 5-for-6 juvenile campaign. Jorge Delgado’s Florida-bred won the Tremont and Adirondack at Saratoga against open company and is 3-for-3 locally. Edgard Zayas partners in place of Emisael Jaramillo, who has moved his tack to Santa Anita.
#5-SNEAKY GOOD: Unbeaten winner of a Keeneland debut sprint and Tampa Bay Downs’ Sandpiper Stakes, both at 6 furlongs. Daughter of top stallion Into Mischief overcame a wide post and trip in her last to win with mostly a hand ride. Tyler Gaffalione rides for trainer Brad Cox, whose stable is 3: 2-1-0 in the Forward Gal, including a 1-2 finish a year ago.
#6-ON TIME GIRL: The more accomplished of the Brad Cox uncoupled duo as that barn looks to continue its Forward Gal precision strikes. Not The Time filly has won 3 of 4 and avenged her 1-length loss in Keeneland’s Myrtlewood by dusting A Fine Chardonnay in their Fern Creek Stakes rematch at Churchill Downs. Irad Ortiz Jr. rides this filly out of Pocahontas Stakes winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile third-place finisher Girl Daddy. Five workouts on cue since her Nov. 29 victory in Louisville.
#7-HOLLEN DRIVE: Regally bred half-sister to champion sprinter Mitole and fellow Grade 1 winner Hot Rod Charlie. She’s won 2 of 3 for trainer Will Walden, a barn fresh off a Grade 3 Christophe Clement Stakes victory last Saturday at Gulfstream. Disappointed on a wet track in Laurel’s Smart Halo, her only stakes attempt, but may be looking for a dry track to show her best. Jorge Ruiz rides the daughter of Practical Joke.
#8-IMPERATRICE: Four-time Forward Gal Stakes-winning trainer Todd Pletcher brings this Dec. 13 maiden winner back to the site of her first career success. Daughter of Pegasus World Cup and Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner City of Light cuts back from a mile in which she had a rather easy trip in victory. She ran second in her debut to Pletcher stablemate With a Kiss, a highly promising Gun Runner-Cathryn Sophia blueblood who hasn’t returned since that Oct. 26 unveling.
Most Likely Exotics Contender:
ON TIME GIRL is a length from perfection in 4 starts and never worse than second while navigating 3 different surfaces. She galloped out far in front last time and has trained right on schedule for this return spot.
Best Longshot Contender:
MUSIC BURST should be a fair price. She's by sire Maclean’s Music, whose offspring win a strong 20% of their Gulfstream Park sprints and include elite past GP sprinter Drain the Clock.
Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$40 win MUSIC BURST. $30 exacta ON TIME GIRL over MUSIC BURST. $20 exacta MUSIC BURST over ON TIME GIRL. $5 exacta part-wheel and MUSIC BURST over HOLLEN DRIVE and IMPERATRICE ($10).
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