Free Picks For Gulfstream Park - 8/16/20

Race 1 - Maiden Special Weight ( Purse -$65,000)

10 2-year-old male runners are slated to go five furlongs on the turf. #2 Murray’s Bar will look to finish better than he did in his debut where he yielded late after setting the pace and leading the majority of the five-furlong race on the grass. Trainer Wesley Ward fares well with 2-year-old male runners, winning 22% of these outings this year and 23% of the time for his career. #10 C.P.A. Genius has not raced since saving the show spot at the wire in his debut at this distance in May. But the Florida colt is coming off an impressive last workout, going four-furlongs in 46.50 seconds at Gulfstream Park at the end of July. #6 King Buddha appears ready for his debut as he has strung together six strong training efforts. #8 Omaha City also should be considered in exotic bets as he has two third-place finishes after switching over from the dirt.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #2. I also like a show bet on the #6. I also like an exacta box of #2, #10, #6, #8.

Race 3 - Maiden Weight Special (Purse -$47,000)

Six 3-and-4-year-old colts and geldings are slated to go one mile. #6 El Samuro has been very consistent in all three of his career races and has gotten “a share” of a result in the last two outings, coming in second in both. A son of Commissioner, El Samuro has run well at this distance and this meet marks the fourth time he has gone this distance. #4 Plum Funny is primed to improve his debut showing, following several strong workouts, as he stretches out to a mile for the first time. The 3-year-old Kentucky colt, a son of Distorted Humor, had a solid debut finishing second by four-and-one-half furlongs behind Brewmeister despite going off as the overwhelming favorite. Emisael Jaramillo, who has six top 3 finishes in his last 10 starts including three victories, gets a second chance for trainer Ralph Nicks. #5 Majority Rule has struggled in his last two races, which includes finishing seventh in a $50,000 maiden claiming race the last time out on a rainy but fast track. The 4-year-old son of Tiznow, who is racing as a gelding for the first, will have jockey Miguel Vasquez onboard. Vasquez won six races on Saturday here at Gulfstream and has nine victories in his last 16 starts.

Picks: I like an exacta box of #6, #4 I also like a show bet on the #5.

Race 10 - Richard Henry Lee Stakes (Purse -$50,000)

Eight male horses will go one and three-eighth miles on the turf in this Starter Stakes. #3 Morning Stride is having a career year on the track having cashed in seven of eight starts. The 5-year-old Kentucky horse is coming off an impressive victory in a $55,000 starter handicap where he increased his lead by three-and-one-half lengths while in the stretch to win by over four in a one-and-one-half mile turf race. Morning Stride, who bested three horses who are currently in this field, has a 55% WPS percentage in 20 turf starts, including a field-high tying five victories. #5 Sharm El Sheikh has raced very well this year, registering an Espeed of at least 102 in each of his last two outings, and recorded the second-best training time among all runners during his last five-furlong workout on Aug. 8. #5 Sharm El Sheikh, who also has five victories on the grass, is coming off a strong performance in the $60,000 Mecke Stakes where he weakened in the stretch and finished fourth. #6 Rijecka closed well to finish second to Morning Stride in the July 19 starter handicap. The 4-year-old Irish gelding runs well on the turf and at Gulfstream, where Rijecka has a win in addition to the second-place finish in three starts.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #3. I also like an exacta box bet of #3, #5, #6.