Written by Daniel Benjamin
Race 2 - Maiden Claiming $50,000-$40,000 (Purse -$41,500)
This five-furlong sprint will have seven 2-year-old male runners with all but two having yet to run a race. #3 Casala showed some promise as he led by one-half length before weakening and fading to third in his inaugural four-and-one-half furlong event earlier this month versus this class. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo has a 20% win percentage and a 45% WPS percentage. #2 Full Send is moving to the maiden claimers after showing some brief speed before tiring and finishing fifth against Special Weight class foes. Jockey Jesus Rios, who has struggled this meet, has a career 16% win percentage along with a 48% WPS percentage while trainer Michael Yates’ 2-year-old horses have finished in the top 3 in 50% of their races this year. #6 Fire’s Finale as well as #5 Dang It appears to be the best freshmen runners in the event.
Picks: I like an exacta box bet of #3, #2 here. I also like a show bet on the #6.
Race 9- Allowance Optional Claiming $25,000 (Purse - $47,00)
This six-furlong all-male race should be spectacular with about four runners capable of claiming the win. #5 Cajun Firecracker is turning back to six furlongs, where he has a 50% winning percentage, following a third-place finish against $35,000 -$30,000 claimers his last time out going six and one-half furlongs. Cajun Firecracker will also add blinkers and will have Victor Lebron, who has three top 4 finishes in his last four races, in the saddle. #1 Who’s Out is racing for the first time since finishing fourth in the Trust Buster Stakes four months ago. The 7-year-old gelding, who has the earliest speed in the field, finished second against optional $35,000 claimers two starts back. Who’s Out has three wins and eight “cashes” in his 11 contests. #3 Life In Shambles has been in great form of late, finishing in the top 3 in six of his last seven meets which includes claiming gold in his last event against similar foes going six and one-half furlongs on June 6. The 9-year-old gelding has a field-high seven wins at six furlongs and has a 50% win percentage at Gulfstream as well as 75% WPS percentage. Jockey Miguel Vasquez has a 16% winning percentage and a 24% WPS percentage over his last 25 starts. #6 Gump should also be considered in exotic bets.
Picks: I like an exacta box bet of #5, #1, #3.
Race 11 - The Added Elegance Stakes (Purse - $60,000)
This one-mile stakes race is for fillies and mares. I believe that #1 Nonna Madeline is the class of this meet. The 4-year-old filly, out of Todd Pletcher’s barn, has placed in the top 3 in multiple graded stakes events and prior to her two-month layoff she posted a career-high 102 ESpeed rating while finishing two-lengths behind Letruska -- who is in this race -- in a NW2$X ($50,000 claimers) allowance race. Expect Edgar Zayas to get the speedy Nonna Madeline, who has finished in the money in five of eight career events -- including two of five stakes races, out front early. Grade 3 Royal Delta Stakes third-place finisher #3 Queen Nekia has been highly successful in her career with a 75% WPS percentage and has a 2-2-1 record in five career appearances at Gulfstream. The 5-year-old mare, who last raced on April 18, also has five wins in eight starts at this distance. #7 Helping Lisa D and #8 Heirressall should be in a position to fill out the bottom of the tick. Helping Lisa D will look to bounce back from a seventh-place finish in a one and one eighth mile Treasure Coast stakes race on the turf earlier this month. The 5-year-old Kentucky mare has medaled in five of her last eight races on dirt. Meanwhile, Heirressall has finished in the money in three of her six stakes races and is coming off a win in a $75,000 optional claiming event last month. Expect Heirressall to with Nonna Madeline out of the gate.
Picks: I like a win bet on the #1. I also like an exacta/ trifecta box of #1, #3, #7, #8.