GULFSTREAM, SUNDAY, OCT 18
Exactas all day. Three horses per race, preferably arriving together and in a financially useful order.
R1: 8,7,4 $48.60 Exacta - Boom!
R2: 1,5,4 $18.70 Exacta - Boom!
R3: 1,4,7 $9.90 Exacta - eh, better than a poke in the eye
R4: 7,1,4 The 1 scracted so we didnt play this one
R5: 9,8,6 Whiff
R6: 3,4,5 $3.30 - Like kissing your sister
R7: 1,3,4 No Cigar
R8: 4,8,6 $16.20 Exacta - Meh, but ok.
R9: 8,2,1 1st and 3rd
R1,2,3 Pick 3 $196.20 - we didnt play it, but you could have!! Picks are right there!
R6,7,8 Pick 3 $28.30
R7,8,9 Pick 3 $179.70
Selections are listed in preference order. Use them to build your own exactas and trifectas, whether you prefer boxing all three or leaning harder on our top choice.
R1: 8,7,4
Kate the Smate gets our nod after finishing fourth, beaten only a half-length, in a scramble at this same Tapeta distance. She disputed the pace and was still right there at the finish. Tie It With a Bow has been knocking, most recently finishing second after briefly taking the lead late. Starship Vengeance needs to rebound from a poor effort, but she finished just ahead of Kate two starts back. We’ll forgive one bad afternoon. Several members of this operation have required considerably more forgiveness than that.
R2: 1,5,4
Messi’s Magic was favored in his debut but broke slowly and never got properly involved. He drops into maiden claiming company and switches to turf, giving him a chance to show why anyone liked him in the first place. More Power to You is the established alternative after finishing second last time, showing speed before getting outfinished. He also tries grass for the first time. No Love Lost debuts for D’Angelo with Reyes aboard and a steady work pattern. With two surface switches and a newcomer, this race comes with more unanswered questions than a contractor’s invoice.
R3: 1,4,7
The Sazerac finished third in his debut after a wide trip and has a straightforward chance to improve with that experience. Cajun’s Madness is the newcomer we’ll use for Yates and Vasquez. There isn’t much proven firepower here, so simply arriving with some ability and a working understanding of the starting gate could go a long way. Hot Rod cuts back from a mile, drops out of a much tougher assignment, and makes his first start since being reported gelded. We’re hoping the shorter trip improves his finish and the other adjustment improves his priorities.
R4: 7,1,4
Golden Valley looks like the most dependable starting point after finishing fourth in a seven-furlong allowance, beaten three lengths. Her recent figures give her a solid foundation, and this slightly shorter trip could help. Fly Life is our rebound play after tiring badly in her comeback from a long break. She showed early speed that day and could be sharper with the race behind her. Authentic Wave cuts back from a route after pressing the pace and weakening on a sloppy track. We’re asking two of these three to rediscover their better selves. Apparently we’re running a wellness retreat with exacta wagering.
R5: 9,8,6
Poseidon’s Law returns from Kentucky Downs and cuts back to five furlongs after a wide trip over a longer sprint. His better turf figures fit, and this assignment could suit him more comfortably. General Bradley also shortens up after fading badly in a turf mile. He has shown plenty of early speed, which becomes more useful when the finish line arrives sooner. Xy Speed brings extensive experience and proven success sprinting over this grass course. His latest effort was disappointing, but the back class is there. At ten years old, he has probably forgotten more about this course than the others have learned. We’d just prefer he remember it before the wire.
R6: 3,4,5
Oxar won her latest Tapeta route despite a slow start, responding when asked and drawing away by 1½ lengths. She steps into a tougher win condition, but Reyes stays aboard and her recent figure fits well. Imperia Blue also comes off a Tapeta win, although she had to work harder than her very short odds suggested. Del Rosario returns to synthetic after finishing sixth on dirt against more expensive claimers. That class relief gives her a chance to get involved underneath. Oxar looks the strongest of our three, but the trifecta department requires two additional employees.
R7: 1,3,4
Rosie’s Roadster demolished her opposition last time, winning by 11½ lengths with an 81 figure that towers over the recent numbers of our other selections. She’s the clear starting point, though stretching to six furlongs still asks a new question. Yes I’m Gorgeous arrives off a convincing maiden win and has room to improve after only two starts. Tutto Passa finished second behind Rosie’s Roadster last time, which sounds competitive until you notice the winner had enough room to stop for lunch. We like her to fill a spot, but reversing that result would require a substantial rewrite.
R8: 4,8,6
Sorokin cuts back and switches to dirt after finishing fifth in a turf-mile stakes. She has been facing a different assignment, and the change gives her a chance to show another dimension for Saffie Joseph. Ninia