The Lead:
It's round two of the 2023 Florida Sire Stakes series this Saturday at Gulfstream Park, co-featuring the Susan's Girl for the 2-year-old fillies and the Affirmed for the 2-year-old colts & geldings. Both have competitive, full fields of 12 over 7 furlongs. The fillies take the stage in Race 8, while the Affirmed goes as Race 10 and will be our focus.

Gulfstream Park also will offer a mandatory payout in its 20-cent Rainbow 6 wager on Saturday. Players at Xpressbet and 1/ST BET can enjoy up to a $10 money-back special on win bets that finish second or third in the stakes races on Saturday's action at Gulfstream.

​Field Depth:
BENTORNATO and MATTINGLY are stakes winners already at Gulfstream, while ESPERON is graded stakes-placed. Seven of these will be rising into the stakes ranks for the first time.

Pace:
ESPERON has made the lead in all 3 starts and begins from post 2 with intent on the front. MATTINGLY was his closest early pursuer last time and it sets up similarly on paper with BENTORNATO right there in the early mix as well. The major players / favorites here are all expected to be part of the pace, which could get hot.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-ROAR READY: Debut runner-up on the Tapeta surface tries dirt for the first time and tries to apply that same late-running style from 5-1/2 furlongs to 7. Jockey-trainer hitting 36% in tandem on the year.

2-ESPERON: Never headed in the first half-mile of 3 starts, but held to win only one of those at 5-1/2 furlongs. Exits solid, third-place try in that same-distanced Hollywood Beach Stakes, beaten nearly 3 lengths by FSS return rival Mattingly. Factor in the pace at a minimum.

3-RYE'S MY GUY: Claimed for $35,000 off a debut third and proceeded to win at first asking for the Emmy Gaffney barn, the trainer's only win so far in 2023. One of only six entrants here to own a win on dirt.

4-ECHO LANE: Four-race maiden has dropped decisions on turf and dirt to date with runner-ups in the last two, most recently at the Affirmed's distance of 7 furlongs. One of only four runners in this field to have attempted the trip.

5-LASSO: Gulfstream debut winner on a sloppy main track in June, he's struggled to make hay in two stakes since. Fourth of 6 in the Grade 2 Saratoga Special, beaten more than 12 lengths, then sixth of 9 in the FSS Dr. Fager to open the series, some 10-1/4 lengths behind return rival Bentornato.

6-SQUINTS: Rallying winner over this track and distance in his only start, defeating FSS return rival Echo Lane by a hard-fought head. Kelly Breen trainee summered at Monmouth and got some education in his first start and now has pace to rally into if good enough.

7-BENTORNATO: Unbeaten, two-time stakes winner has won in the open company Proud Man Stakes as well as the Florida Sire Stakes opening leg, the 6-furlong Dr. Fager Stakes. Rolled to easy wins in both while front-running, but was able to rally and win his career debut in a maiden dogfight. Return to that patient style may benefit Saturday.

8-SEMINOLE CHIEF: Smashing, 8-length winner at Finger Lakes, an odd launching spot for a Girvin colt who summered at Saratoga. Now gets to face Florida-breds and will be tested a quarter-mile farther than the previous race. Got a local breeze at Palm Meadows since venturing south in solid time.

9-HURRICANE NELSON: NYRA raider just gave way late to finish second in both starts to date, a 7-furlong bid at Saratoga and then a 6-1/2 furlong heat at Aqueduct. Christophe Clement trainee has run massive Beyer Speed Figures (91, 80), comparable in this field only with the local favorite Bentornato. Expected to be pressing the pace and will have to finish the deal this time.

10-MATTINGLY: First or second in all 4 starts and has run in those in-race positions throughout every start as well. Won the Hollywood Beach Stakes on Tapeta and has finished second in stakes on turf (Royal Palm Juvenile at Gulfstream) and Tapeta (Woodbine's Victoria Stakes). Son of turf sprint ace Bucchero has yet to try dirt, but has handled everything thrown his way so far.

11-SECRET LOVER: Distant fourth in the FSS Dr. Fager at 36-1 odds, he's got to make up 10 lengths on Bentornato, but should appreciate the additional distance. Four-race maiden was expected to win last out in the drop back into maiden special weight, but note that runner-up at 8-5 was in open company and there was more than 11 lengths between him and the third-place finisher.

12-SOUND OF THE BEAST: Second-start maiden breaker came with a patient rally in August and has been put away since. Solid 22% jockey-trainer tandem here could see a move forward with son of The Big Beast based on sharp workout tab in September-October. Could be sitting on go.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
BENTORNATO's pace versatility will come in handy in a trick pace situation and he's unblemished so far locally.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
SECRET LOVER will be finishing in a race with pace and was part of the superfecta at 36-1 in the series' opening leg. Maiden is not out of the question to shock the win discussion. SOUND OF THE BEAST also intrigues late at a price.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$25 exacta part-wheel BENTORNATO and HURRICANE NELSON as two logical players over one of the longshots, SECRET LOVER and SOUND OF THE BEAST ($100).