Mandatory Pick 6 Payout Sunday is here and Gulfstream Park handicapper Ron Nicoletti provides his full-card analysis. The carryover seeds the pool with $18,001 and track officials project $500,000 up for grabs by post time.
RACE 1:
5 ZAZA J drops and cuts back to a sprint on Tapeta after breaking awkwardly and dueling for the lead before weakening to finish fourth vs $16,000 maidens going a mile on the turf. Saffie Joseph Jr has Micha Husbands named to ride. 1 ELUSIVE CHALICE makes the usually fruitful third start of the form cycle after knocking on the door in consecutive sprints on the all-weather surface. Joe Orseno has apprentice Pedro Pena in the saddle. 6 THAT POLICE freefalls to the $12,500 level in the first start since tussling with stake’s competition before going to the sidelines 11 months ago. The daughter of Tiz the Law makes her three-year-old debut with Lasix. SELECTIONS: 5-1-6
RACE 2:
4 SOMERSET MIA moves to the Bernardo Lopez barn and returns to the main track after stalking the pace and finishing second going a mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta. The barn, 3 for 4 (75%) with new additions to the shedrow, has Leonel Reyes overseeing the surface switch. 8 CALLING THE SHOTS returns to her best surface thus far (6-1-1-1) after rallying to finish third behind the top choice on the all-weather track last out. Heather Smullen has Diego Herrera named to ride. 2 GHOSTLIGHT drops and stretches out to a mile after returning from the layoff to show speed before fading vs $17,500 two lifetime claimers going 5-1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. Saffie is 18% with the stretchout move. SELECTIONS: 4-8-2
RACE 3:
4 ZIRZOP is cutting back to a mile after getting sandwiched between horses at the start prior to finishing a rallying a third going a mile and a sixteenth on turf. Owner Maria Sol Aller and trainer Murat Sancal are 25% with their turf runners. 5 VOL DU CONDOR is making the second start back from the six-month layoff after rallying four wide to finish fourth behind the top choice in their recent clash on the grass. Victor Barboza Jr is 25% with the second start after the 45-180 days layoff. 1 STAR OF THE GUN will give it one more chance at trying to break maiden when cutting back to a mile after setting the pace and finishing second in front of the top two selections last out. The probable off-time favorite has apprentice Pedro Pena doling out his speed. SELECTIONS: 4-5-1
RACE 4: MANDATORY PAYOUT PICK 6 BEGINS HERE
2 FORGOTTEN ABOUT drops to the $50,000 maiden optional claiming level after the eventful special weight debut in which she broke slowly from the rail, rushed up along the inside and was shuffled back at the half-mile pole before calling it a day. Trainer Dave Fawkes, 24% with maidens making their second start, has Diego Herrera named on the Arkansas-bred daughter of The Big Beast. 3 LADY ROCKULA is stretching out to 6 1/2 furlongs again after finishing second again vs this level of competition going six furlongs. The 13th time can be the charm for the Carlos David/Miguel Vazquez collaboration. 6 PAN PAN is going back to the main track for Saffie after hitting the board going long on both turf and Tapeta. Micha Husbands rides. SELECTIONS: 2-3-6
RACE 5:
2 HANDS OF TIME, one of two in the field for Sea Warrior Stables and Heather Smullen, finds a good spot to step up the competition after returning from the freshening to notch his second consecutive victory when defeating $17,500 conditioned claimers going a mile on the turf. 1 MALCOLM X (PER), beaten only three quarters of a length at this level two starts back, hopes to get away from the gate in a timely fashion after stumbling and breaking last, then never getting involved at this level and distance last out. Dante Zanelli has Edwin Gonzalez in the saddle. 9 MASAYOSHI, a wide but a good third in front of Malcolm X two starts back, returns to the turf after finishing a closing second vs this familiar competition going a mile and seventy yards on Tapeta. Jonathan Ocasio rides for trainer Bruno Tessore. SELECTIONS: 2-1-9
RACE 6:
2 TOMMY’S MIRACLE is trying open special weight competition in the first race since getting mugged between horses at the start and finishing third behind undefeated rising superstar Sum of Success in a five-furlong state-bred sprint during July. Carlos David has Samy Camacho named to ride. 6 ARTICULATED is a $110,000 son of Speaker’s Corner debuting for Saffie Joseph Jr with some solid workouts showing at Palm Meadows. Micha Husbands rides. 4 ROSE OF RIYADH is a $225,000 daughter of Yaupon who faces the boys with a consistent work tab showing over the GP main track. The tote action will tell us more. SELECTIONS: 2-6-4
RACE 7:
2 ROGER THAT DANA, who finished second behind classy Commandment in the Mucho Macho Man stakes, at the distance, in January, can now be haltered for $10,000 after failing to fire in a pair of sprints vs better. Trainer Luis Ramirez has Edgar Perez overseeing the shaky class drop. 7 TEOFIMO drops to the $10,000 level again after following a second-place finish at this level and distance with a slow starting fifth behind repeat winner Jalapeno in a state-bred allowance contested at seven furlongs. Jonathan Ocasio rides for Javier Negrete. 3 TAPARINO wheels back after using his speed to finish a game second at this level and distance. Trainer Jena Antonucci has Jose Morelos trying to steal this wide-open affair. SELECTIONS: 2-7-3
RACE 8:
8 FOURTH AND CENTRAL will try to make it three victories in a row after highlighting his versatility when he followed the $75,000 optional claiming victory on turf with five-furlong score vs $75,000 optional claimers going five panels on Tapeta. Trainer Mike Yates has Miguel Vazquez returning on the consistent son of Cajun Breeze. 1 XY SPEED, a 15-time turf winner, who can be claimed for $25,000, drops after facing stakes quality competition throughout his storied 56-race career. The hard-knocking 10-year-old must be respected, even though he’s lost some speed of his fast ball. 2 CRUZIN MAN will be running and gunning as soon as they pop the gate latch. He goes back to the turf with the moniker of the one to catch. SELECTIONS: 8-1-2
RACE 9:
7 RUDI is stretching out to a mile an a sixteenth after finishing second going a mile and seventy yards last out. Trainer Antonio Sano has Rasheed Hughes named to ride this tepid choice. 2 AMBERSSOHN drops and tries the Tapeta after facing better going long on the turf with mixed results. Heather Smullen is 14% with the surface switch. 5 FIFTEEN HUNDRED R is eligible to show more at the distance after splitting horses and finishing third behind the top choice at a mile and seventy yards. Pedro Garcia Jr has Leonel Reyes in the saddle. SELECTIONS: 7-2-5
BEST BET -- RACE 6: 2 TOMMY’S MIRACLE
LONGSHOT -- RACE 8: 8 FOURTH AND CENTRAL
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