Gulfstream Horse Racing Picks for Saturday, May 9, 2020

Race 10 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 5:30 PM Eastern

Honey Won’t gets a BIG jockey change from Meneses to Saez after a poor sixth place effort to similar last month. That followed two and one-half months off and a sharp five length win over the course. A lightly raced four year old, he’s won three of 12 on grass but more importantly two were routes at Gulfstream and with a rock solid 109 Equibase Speed Figure effort, best in the field, to run back to from the 1/26/20 effort he could be the one to beat.

Shootin the Breeze also makes his second start off a layoff, finishing fourth both before and after the rest. That last effort with a 100 figure, combined with Rosario getting on, gives him a good shot to improve and be a strong factor today. As he opens at 8/1 he must get a long look at the least for exactas we play in this race.

Battle of Blenheim opens as the 2/1 favorite based on winning two of his last three races, on 12/15 and 1/6, before a runner-up finish last month. Still, the wins were okay but repeating them doesn’t make him a standout although red hot Irad Ortiz, Jr. takes the call.

For one set of exacta tickets I’d like to toss in Basha, who opens at 20/1 because if he runs as he did when coming up a head and a neck short on the wire just one before last at this mile turf trip he could boost our exotic profits nicely.

Bets:
Win: Honey Won’t and Shootin the Breeze to win at odds of 3 to 1 or more.

When making multiple win bets, use a “Dutching” tool to do the work of allocating your wagering dollars for the best edge. Amwager has a great dutching tool available, among many other great features.

Exactas:
Box Honey Won’t, Shootin the Breeze and Battle of Blenheim
Box Basha, Honey Won’t, Shootin the Breeze and Battle of Blenheim

Double: Honey Won’t, Shootin the Breeze and Battle of Blenheim in Race 10 with I’ll Fight Dempsey, R Mercedes Boy and Hauntedbythemusic in Race 11

Double: Honey Won’t, Shootin the Breeze and Battle of Blenheim in Race 10 with Hauntedbythemusic in Race 11

Pick 3:
Race 10: Honey Won’t, Shootin the Breeze, Battle of Blenheim
Race 11: I’ll Fight Dempsey, R Mercedes Boy, Hauntedbythemusic
Race 12: The Robert, Trappezoid, Peppi the Hunter, Il Faraone, The Queens Jules, Dexter Road, Starship Apollo

 

Race 11 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 6:01 PM Eastern

Hauntedbythemusic won as he pleased in December in his career debut at Tampa in a straight maiden race in a field of 12 after forcing the pace and being passed after a half-mile. He showed a lot of physical and mental prowess that day and even after five months off may be best in here. Irad Ortiz, Jr. gets on for a trainer (Galvan) Ortiz, Jr. has not ridden for in the past two years, and the 93 Equibase Figure for a two year old projected to a horse which is now almost midway into his three year old year powers over these so he’s the one to beat on paper, but don’t expect the 6/1 starting odds to hold up.

R Mercedes Boy has won three of nine races including last August at Gulfstream and enters the race off a decent second last month following four months off. Jaramillo sticks after getting familiar with him and in that last race he ranged up to within a head of the leader before that one put him away but may be harder to contain second off the layoff today

I’ll Fight Dempsey won in his debut in February as nicely as Hauntedbythemusic won his debut in December. Then, when placed at this level last month and sent to post as the prohibitive favorite he had no response in the stretch and ended up fourth. Saez stays with him as he cuts back from seven furlongs to the distance of the debut win so although he’s likely a poor win bet at low odds he rounds out a trio of win contenders for other wagers.

Bets:
Win: Hauntedbythemusic at odds of 2 to 1 or more.

Trifecta:
Box Hauntedbythemusic, R Mercedes Boy and I’ll Fight Dempsey

Hauntedbythemusic, R Mercedes Boy and I’ll Fight Dempsey over ALL over Hauntedbythemusic, R Mercedes Boy and I’ll Fight Dempsey

Double: (If you played the pick 3 and if one of the contenders won race 10, it’s optional to play the double).
Race 11: I’ll Fight Dempsey, R Mercedes Boy, Hauntedbythemusic
Race 12: The Robert, Trappezoid, Peppi the Hunter, Il Faraone, The Queens Jules, Dexter Road, Starship Apollo

 

Race 12 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 6:32 PM Eastern

The Robert opens at 12/1 in spite of having Joel Rosario get on for the first time, staying around for the 12th race and riding in a lowly starter allowance event. From a strong barn (Preciado), the gelding won one race before the layoff and earned a strong 97 figure. Better still, he won his only start at Gulfstream previously, last February, a one turn mile like this, by eight lengths and for the same trainer, who claimed him back three races ago, which is a very good sign for a top effort here.

Peppi the Hunter opens at 9/5 on the strength of a win last out in April at the distance by four lengths. It was his third “A” effort in a row, the other two runner-up finishes, but ALL were for different trainers and he enters the barn of a low profile trainer in Morici. The works since raced are fine but the low odds aren’t fine for considering a win bet.

Dexter Road led late at 13/1 and came up less than a length shy of winning an identical race on April 19. He finished second to Peppi the Hunter two weeks earlier and is a hard-knocking horse who is making his seventh start of the year and may be good for a share at the least.

The Queens Jules ran 11th on turf last out but won a one mile dirt race before that in March, his ONLY dirt star of the year. Ortiz, Jr. gets on which gives pause that effort is repeatable and so he rounds out a quartet of main contenders.

Other possibilities in a wide open race in which it’s unlikely there will be a heavy favorite are Trappezoid (third in the common race on April 19), Il Faraone (second one before last to similar but sixth in the common race) and Starship Apollo (more of a shorter sprinter but intriguing with Saez taking the call and decent enough at seven furlongs to have a look at a mile).

Bets:
Win: The Robert at odds of 7 to 2 or more.
Consider Dexter Road and The Queens Jules to win at 9 to 2 or more

When making multiple win bets, use a “Dutching” tool to do the work of allocating your wagering dollars for the best edge. Amwager has a great dutching tool available, among many other great features.

Exacta: The Robert, Peppi the Hunter, Dexter Road and The Queens Jules over The Robert, Peppi the Hunter, Dexter Road and The Queens Jules, Trappezoid, Il Faraone and Starship Apollo.

Share This Story!

Ellis Starr

Ellis is a well respected handicapper and contributor of AmWager. He has been a public handicapper for more than twenty years, educating racing fans of all skill levels with detailed commentary few other handicappers provide.

Related Posts

The Tropical Park Derby

Let’s hope this stays off the synthetic and on the grass. It is Florida and Gulfstream Park, so we never know. Live High Live Low

Read More »