- Empire of War- Javier Castellano- Michael Maker
- This flat mile turf race starts with Empire of War who is coming into this race off of a very disastrous effort at Fair Grounds over a yielding turf course. If you cross that effort out you get a talented young colt for Three Diamonds Farm and Michael Maker. This is going to also be his 2nd start off of a 6 month layoff and should get a little firmer ground today which could benefit him. I think he might be too slow and the inside post might hurt him more than benefit him today.
- Maraud- Paco Lopez- Joseph Orseno
- Maraud is a nice horse that is coming in off of back to back low 90 beyers and also back to back 3rd place finishes. He hasn’t run since September and this will be his 3rd new barn in his career. Paco has never ridden this horse but seems to be able to get the job done usually anyways. This also seems like the right horse to fit Paco’s scheme when riding. He should be sitting on the rail probably mid pack and ready to pounce today but might need a race to tighten up the muscles. I will be looking elsewhere today.
- Big Agenda- Edgar Prado- Lilli Kurtinecz
- Big Agenda will need a Big step up in class today to get the job done. This Lilli Kurtinecz gelding could make some noise underneath as a huge price and will be sitting right off the early speed. He won a race at Colonial earlier this year in which I was covering also on this website so I am a little familiar with him. I think he will actually be pressing Gidu and company who will be on the early lead. This probably will be his only chance of winning if he does indeed have the talent to compete, but it also most likely will be his downfall due to being tired from keeping up with quicker horses so early on in the race.
- Gidu (IRE)- John Velazquez- Todd Pletcher
- Good old Gidu. Gidu is a horse who needs and I mean absolutely needs the lead in order to win. If John Velazquez can’t get an uncontested lead today then this guys dreams of winning will be out the door. He is the classiest of the field and probably the most talented. However he is the least versitalle. I will be using him underneath as he could easily go gate to wire, but I won’t be using him on top.
- Gunnison- Nik Juarez- Kelly Rubley
- Gunnison is just way too slow to be a factor in this field in my opinion. I think his 3yo season was a lot better to more recent times. He has lost to a couple horses in this field already but has beaten Big Agenda back in 2018. Nik Juare is the only bright spot here for me and I will be tossing him.
- Tusk- Tyler Gaffalione- Saffie Jospeh Jr.
- Saffie has been training lights out with these talented horses recently and has been putting horses in the right spots. Today is another one of those talented horses in the right spot for me. I think Tusk is going to be overlooked on the betting board today and will probably be anywhere from 6-1 and up. I think he might not like Gulfstream compared to the Mid Atlantic racetracks in which he won at in the fall. However in his first start for Saffie off the claim he ran 3rd at Gulfstream earning himself another 91 beyer. I think with all the pace lined up today, he can sit the trip and win if Tyler Gaffalione puts him in contention early enough.
- Gemonteer- Esimael Jaramillo- Jena Antonucci
- Gemonteer is another speed horses that need the lead to win. I don’t see him getting the lead today with Gidu in this field. I think he is talented and a little more consistent than Gidu but also has faced way easier competition. I like how he has been running since Saratoga but I will be looking elsewhere.
- A Thread of Blue- Luis Saez- Kiaran McLaughlin
- A thread of Blue is a little bit more versitalle than Gidu and Gemonteer but like those two, A Thread of Blue likes and performs better when he gets the lead. However, A Thread of Blue has won by sitting right off the pace but in contention early before earning a 90 beyer doing this back in March of last year in the Palm Beach. I think Luis Saez will make him sit today 2nd maybe 3rd, and could pounce on the dueling leaders.
- Exulting- Irad Ortiz Jr.- Michael Maker
- Exulting has the run style that could win today. Irad Ortiz Jr, always seems to have better timing on the turf rather than dirt and he might get the right pace scenario in which he could be rolling down the lane late to get up at the wire. He ran very even in his debut at Gulfstream last time out, but that was a Grade 2 race and he just didn’t have enough. Is class an issue with him, possibly, but I just don’t think Irad Ortiz would get aboard anything. He will be my top pick in this field.
- Sand Dancer- Jairo Rendon- Timothy Hills
- Finally we have Sand Dancer rounding out our field today. Sand Dancer is a longshot that shows me nothing to make a case for in recent starts. However, if you go back to early 2018 he was on fire in smaller stakes competition. But since then he has been nothing but lackluster. Yet those good races did come under the guidance of Timothy Hills who has him back in his barn now and has been running okay, since getting him, but also has been given time off since being reinserted into his barn. He has an outside chance today but I will be using him in supers.
TOP PICKS-
#9 Exulting
#6 Tusk
#8 A Thread of Blue