On-track handicapper Ron Nicoletti has you covered for Saturday's Gulfstream Park action. In addition to the traditional wagering menu, don't forget the new Summer Sweep 5, connecting Gulfstream Races 7 and 9 with Races 7-8-9 from Woodbine today.
RACE 1:
1 CAPTCHA moves to the Jose D’Angelo barn via the claim and makes his first start since threatening to win at this level and distance before going to the sidelines in January. The barn, over 20% with both with the claim and the layoff, has Yolber Torres up. 3 MAGNETO moves to the Nick Tomlinson barn, drops a level, and returns to the Tapeta after a couple of solid efforts on the turf. Edwin Gonzalez oversees the surface switch. 2 PARDO, another from Jose D’Angelo, drops to the $10,000 level on Tapeta after facing better sprinting on the main track. Ther barn is 15% with two sprints to a route. SELECTIONS: 1-3-2
RACE 2:
5 BABY PRINCESS, bred for the turf, debuts for trainer Ron Spatz with apprentice Pedro Pena doling out her speed. Watch the tote action for more clues. 4 READY TO RAGE moves to the grass after gaining experience when he tracked the pace and finished fourth vs maiden special weight competition on Tapeta. The drop to the $35,000 level looks like a positive move. 6 AWESOME NOAH is a son of Awesome Slew who will wear blinkers after showing some early interest before fading in his special weight debut going five furlongs on the dirt during May. Jose D’Angelo is a strong 38% with the class drop. SELECTIONS: 5-4-6
RACE 3:
1 KHOPESH drops to the $10,000 level and goes back to the Tapeta after returning to the Jose D’Angelo barn and failing to fire vs better on both turf and dirt. He should be running best in the latter stages of the race. 2 FULL NELSON moves to the Eduardo Luces barn and wears blinkers after returning from the layoff to finish second vs $8,000 dated claimers going long on Tapeta. The barn is 2 for 7 (29%) with new additions to the shedrow. 3 THE HONEYMAN is hoping to bounce back after following a well meant second two starts back with a fifth place finish showing behind Full Nelson last out. SELECTIONS: 1-2-3
RACE 4:
5 GODDESS OF BEAUTY, a daughter of Bucchero, is debuting on turf after stalking the pace and finishing a game third between horses in her special weight debut on Tapeta. Joe Orseno has Miguel Vazquez managing the surface switch. 3 SEVERELY OVERPAYIN is a daughter of Highly Motivated, and a half-sister to Grade 1 stakes placed Fully Subscribed, debuting for Jose D’Angelo with 12 Palm Meadows workouts showing. J.G. Torrealba rides. 6 SLEW LADY is a daughter of promising first-year sire Roadster debuting for Ramon Minquet with only farm workouts showing. The tote action will tell us more. SELECTIONS: 5-3-6
RACE 5:
3 MAGNETIC BEACH moves to the Rohan Crichton barn via the claim after defeating a trio of next-out winners in an $8,000 conditioned claimer going a mile and seventy yards on Tapeta. The barn, 37% with new claims, has go-to jock Anthony Thomas in the saddle. 1 GIMME SOME LUCK will try to make it three in a row after following a victory on turf with set the pace and hold on by a nose score at this level and distance. Collin Maragh keeps it a family affair with Rajiv in the irons. 4 ANSWER THE CALL proved she could compete at this level when following her $8,000 victory two starts back with a set the pace third at this level last out. She can get brave if left alone on the front end. SELECTIONS: 3-1-4
RACE 6:
6 GOLD PERL is debuting on the turf after responding in the first race after the claim by leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr with a 5 �-length victory on Tapeta during March. The barn, 12% with first-time turf, has go-to jock Micha Husbands up. 7 WIN N JUICE, stakes-placed sprinting on the turf last August, returns to the grass after a trio of sharp sprint outings on Tapeta for trainer Nick Tomlinson, who is 5 for 13 (38%) with the surface switch. 3 KHOZALITE, a stakes winner sprinting on the dirt at age two, turns back after stalking the pace and finishing fourth vs this level going around two turns on the turf. Jose D’Angelo is 22% with the distance switch. SELECTIONS: 6-7-3
RACE 7:
1 VUELA PALOMA drops into this $20,000 claimer after her three-race win streak ended when she finished fourth and third, respectively, vs tougher on a pair of $20,000 starter optional claimers. Victor Barboza Jr lightens the impost with apprentice Pedro Pena in the saddle. 6 MUSICAL DESIGN, who finished in front of the top choice when they were getting schooled by red-hot three in a row winner Happy Ride during May, renews the rivalry after finishing fifth vs $25,000 optional claimers going five panels on turf. 5 GARUDA is going back to her most accomplished surface after finishing third behind a pair of next-out winners going five furlongs on grass. Trainer Luis Ramirez has Edwin Gonzalez named to ride. SELECTIONS: 1-6-5
RACE 8:
3 BANDED ROCKET is back at winning level after returning from the layoff and having to compete with local superstar Rezasrolex in a $70,000 overnight handicap. Carlos David has Miguel Vazquez atop the gelded son of Malibu Moon. 2 XY SPEED, in for the $50,000 tag in this starter optional claimer, returns home after the stalk and fade outing going 5-1/2 furlongs on the Colonial Downs turf. The nine-time local turf winner is banking on the horse-for-course angle. 1 TEST FACTOR is working sharply in preparation for the first start since failing to fire in $75,000 overnight handicap during April. Rohan Crichton has Edwin Gonzalez named to ride. SELECTIONS: 3-2-1
RACE 9:
4 GOLDEN VALLEY is cutting back to a sprint distance on what looks like her preferred surface after stalking the pace and finishing an even fifth going a mile on the turf. 2 DAKOTA’S LIL AUROR is turning back to three-quarters of a mile after dueling for the lead and fading to finish third behind a couple of sharp fillies going seven furlongs. The concern for the three-year-old daughter of Echo Town is the sparse winning record (15-1-2-6). 7 SAMARITAN’S JOY, now in the Mark Passley barn, the daughter of Good Samaritan cuts back to her best distance in the first start since finishing a rallying second vs $50,000 starter optional claimers going a mile during May. Note that the barn has a positive ROI ($2.35) with new additions to the shedrow. SELECTIONS: 4-2-7
RACE 10:
2 SWAMP FOX, who ran well on the turf vs better during March and April, steps up and goes back to the lawn after finishing a game third vs $10,000 two lifetime claimers going a mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta. Trainer Ron Coy has apprentice Pedro Pena atop this pace threat in the finale. 6 MEGACLES looks like the one to beat after rallying to finish a game second vs this level of competition going a mile and a sixteenth. Ron Spatz has Leonel Reyes overseeing the turnback to a mile. 8 LUCKY LARRY, now in the Victor Barboza Jr barn, the son of Lookin At Lucky debuts on the turf with solid grass breeding on both sides of the family tree. Sammy Camacho Jr rides. SELECTIONS: 2-6-8
BEST BET: RACE 7 – 1 VUELA PALOMA
LONGSHOT: RACE 6 – GOLD PERL
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