Another fantastic Saturday slate at Gulfstream Park means another worthwhile promotion at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet. After last week’s Exacta-Thon, the marketing team has turned back to a favorite of mine, the old Hit & Split. This time the late Pick 4 Hit & Split on Saturday in Hallandale Beach will be the first of four $1k promotions available throughout the weekend. Santa Anita on Saturday will follow suit with both 1/ST RACING tracks again providing horseplayers on Sunday with Hit & Splits in the late Pick 4. Just remember to register for the new promotion.

Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.


Race 9:
Grade: C+
Main Ticket: 8 Themanupfront; 4 Mary’s Lad
Backups: 3 Ever Dangerous; 1 Profound

Forecast: This first-level allowance event over the lawn kicks off Saturday’s late Pick 4 and I am willing to toss two of the three ML favorites. The one I like most is #4 Mary’s Lad. The 4-1-second choice on Brian Nadeau’s line enters his second start of the year after a runner-up effort to a good looking off the pace runner in Pass the Hat. Trainer Whit Beckman adds the blinkers for the first time and legs up Tyler Gaffalione. Mary’s Lad is in with a huge chance if Beckman’s equipment change, leads to improved energy over the final sixteenth of a mile. I also give a big shot to #8 Themanupfront. The Coal Front gelding is unlikely to have things easy on the front end once again after battling early and tiring late on January 3. The leg up to Irad Ortiz Jr. for the first time though should lead to an improved trip for this Bobby Dibona trainee. He certainly could be good enough if one of the best riders in the world is able to avoid another duel on the backstretch.


Race 10: Forward Gal (G3)
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 8 Imperatrice; 2 Tesselate; 6 On Time Girl
Backups: 7 Hollen Drive; 1 Music Burst

Forecast: The first of three stakes races to close the card and sequence is this 7-furlong dash for 3YO fillies over the main track. 9-5-ML favorite #6 On Time Girl is likely to take a lot of public support after taking a huge step forward with her dominant win in the $225k Fern Creek at Churchill Downs to end her 2YO season. The Albaugh Family Stables homebred has been given time since by trainer Brad Cox and is the one to beat, but things could be contentious on the front end. If so, there are a pair of fillies I give a chance to spring the upset. #2 Tesselate enters the Forward Gal off a pair of wins from a few lengths off the pace for Saffie Joseph. She faces the toughest field of her career in this spot, but has the right running style to take advantage of the probable race shape assuming she is able to relax early along the inside. I also give a big chance to #8 Imperatrice. The $500k daughter of City of Light has done little wrong thus far and moves from an inside draw to the far outside. This should allow John Velazquez to stalk in the clear just off the early leaders. With a less stressful trip, Imperatrice should be full of run late on the cutback to seven-eighths.


Race 11: Sweetest Chant
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 3 Brat Pack; 10 Aggressive Lime
Backups: 7 Bert’s Knoty Girl

Forecast: The final turf race of the afternoon is for 3YO fillies at 1 1/16-miles where there does not appear to be a lot of early speed signed on. I will lean on a pair of gals that have some ability and should not be too far off a likely moderate first half-mile. I landed on #3 Brat Pack on top. Trainer Graham Motion has meant business thus far at the Championship Meet and one of his victories came with Brat Pack on Christmas Eve. The Gun Runner filly showed tactical speed out of the gate that afternoon, but settled mid-pack before making a winning three-wide move on the far turn under strong turf rider Jorge Ruiz. With an inside draw this time and an overall lack of early zip entered, I expect Ruiz to have this homebred in a prominent spot early. I also expect #10 Aggressive Lime to be ridden aggressively out of the gate. The daughter of Authentic retains the services of Irad Ortiz Jr. and has been freshened after besting a field of allowance foes in November. Her tactical speed should allow Irad to avoid significant ground loss early. Hopefully, one of these two or long shot #7 Bert’s Knoty Girl is good enough to take down 2-1-ML favorite #8 Sister Troienne. The Brian Lynch trainee has rattled off 4 in a row, but is going to get tested on Saturday afternoon.


Race 12: Holy Bull (G3)
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 5 Cannoneer
Backups: None

Forecast: I am all in on #5 Cannoneer in this 20-points to the winner Kentucky Derby prep to close the afternoon. The $1.75M Keeneland September 2024 purchase was dominant off the bench in his second career start going 7-furlongs in late November. Brad Cox has had him in Florida pointing to this spot since. The Into Mischief colt should be able to use his early speed to make the front or sit just off the early pace. From there, expect him to stamp himself as a serious player on the Derby Trail for a barn that has made the Sunshine State one of its main homes in the winter the last couple of years. For a horse-by-horse analysis of the Holy Bull, check out my “Handicapper’s Preview of Gulfstream’s Holy Bull Stakes” blog from Thursday morning.

Good luck!