Free Picks For Gulfstream Park - 6/3/20

By Daniel Benjamin

Race 7 - Allowance Optional Claiming ($47,000)

This very competitive $25,000 optional claiming meet that is slated to go one and one-sixteenth miles on the turf will have 12 runners.#11 Battle of Blenheim has consistently put up impressive ESpeed numbers, since his second career race, and has medaled in each of the three races this year which includes claiming gold the last time out as the six-year-old gelding won at this level though the distance was a little shorter at a mile in length. Batte of Blenheim, making his first start under the direction of trainer Dave Braddy, has a field high six wins on the carpet with three of those victories coming at this distance (5-3-1-0). Braddy and jockey Miguel Vasquez have not had a ton of success working together this year, however, Vasquez has four wins and eight top 3 finishes in 14 starts over the last race days at Gulfstream. #9 Patriot Drive is coming off a long layoff and is dropping down in class. While the six-year-old gelding has not gotten any part of his last four races, he has finished in the top 3 in 18 of 32 career races which include posting WPS percentage of 56.5% (13 of 23) on turf. #2 Belgrano is coming off a strong effort in his last outing in a $20,000 starter optional claimer (May 1) despite being disqualified to third after bumping competitor. Mario Fuentes gets the ride on the six-year-old gelding who has placed in the money in six of 12 races on the carpet since the beginning of 2019. # 1 New Year is going against tougher competition after going 2-for-2 in claiming conditions.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #11. I also like a show bet on #2. Additionally, I like an exacta box of the #11, #9, #2 along with a trifecta box of #11, #9, #2, #1.

Race 8 - Claiming (Purse -$31,000)

This $30,000 claiming six-furlong race will have six runners. #1 Quijote takes a little drop-in class after getting a piece of the action, for the first time in five meets, after dueling for the lead and finishing third versus $35,000 conditioned claimers going six- furlongs on a sealed ‘sloppy’ track (May 10). Emisael Jaramillo gets the ride on the seven-year-old gelding who has won four races at this distance. #3 Bold Envoy is back on the track after a disastrous last outing (May 10) where he clipped his heels with a competitor around the fifth eighth pole and stumbled before falling way behind. That race came just seven days after his first race in three months where the six-year-old gelding finished fourth. Bold Envoy has good speed and a field high early pace average of 81. #5 Assertiko is making a huge jump in class after nabbing a victory at the $16,000 claiming level.

Picks: I like a show bet on the #5. I also like a win bet on the #1 if the odds are better than 2-to-1. I also like a trifecta bet of the #1 keyed with the #3, #5.

Race 9 - Allowance Optional Claiming (Purse - $47,000)

Eight male runners will go five furlongs on turf in this $16,000 optional claimer. #3 Cryogenic is back on the carpet after posting his worst effort in over a year-and-half as the five-year-old horse finished fifth at this level on the dirt (May 9). Mike Maker has charged Paco Lopez with getting Cryogenic, who has three wins and five top 3 finishes in nine outings at this distance on the turf, back on track. Cryogenic has a 20% career winning percentage on the artificial surface. #9 Valiant Virtue is moving over to Gulfstream after a stretch of races at Tampa Bay and taking a drop in class after finishing third in his last meet against $32,000 foes. The three-year-old gelding has finished in the money in four of his five outings on the turf this year. #2 R Mercedes Boy is trying the turf for the first time after medaling a couple of times versus similar quality going six furlongs on the main track. The four-year-old gelding has finished in the money in seven out of 10 career races.

Picks: I like an exacta box of #3, #9, #2 here.