The Lead:
Saturday’s Gulfstream Park feature is the $100,000 Azalea Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters. It’s a survivor of the former Summit of Speed program that stands alone these days. The 7-furlong test goes as Race 10 and has attracted 7 sprinters, including a pair each for trainers Joe Orseno and Saffie Joseph, Jr.

​​Field Depth:
All 7 runners seek their first stakes wins, while FLOWKO and WIN BET ONLY are stakes-placed. Prime race for a rise in class.
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Pace:
Early speed should come from the inside grouping of FLOWKO, WINPLACEANDSHOW and LATE NIGHT NEXT. The tempo seems reasonable to all running styles.
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Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

1-WINPLACEANDSHOW: Sharp break last out and allowed to settle from an outside draw but should be capable of continuing that early interest here from the rail. Her late margin increase last out was more a product of her dueler stopping than it was her solid, but not spectacular visual and 88 BRIS late pace figure. Sire Win Win Win’s progeny score 21% in GP 7-furlong sprints with a $1.15 ROI for every $1 bet, so she’s built for this.

2-FLOWKO: Florida-bred is 0-7 in open-company races but does exit a state-bred allowance score. That she was hammered to 1-2 odds in that one signifies a weak bunch based on just 1 victory in 11 prior starts. May be fastest of these in the initial stages but has been more effective at shorter trips.

3-LATE NIGHT TEXT: Failed to find the finish line first in 5 tries with Nolan Ramsey but immediately got the right script for Saffie Josephn when breaking her maiden April 23. That win came over this track and distance and notable earned a boastful 96 BRIS late pace figure. Pressed 3-wide in that last outing and could get an identical trip just outside a pair of speed horses in the 1-2 posts. Runner-up was promising $550K Brad Cox trainee who came back to break her maiden next out. Sire Into Mischief is 16: 4-2-3 in 7-furlong Gulfstream stakes races the last 5 years – right in his offspring’s wheelhouse. Biggest concern is 3-week break in the workout tab late May into early June. One to beat if she’s fit.

4-SOROKIN: Most lightly raced filly in the field won her second outing March 27 and hasn’t been seen since. Her graduation runner-up has come back to run out of the money twice at Churchill Downs for Chad Brown and is now an 0-4 maiden. Second of 2 Saffie Joseph Jr. trainees in the entries and the barn’s A-rider Micah Husbands winds up on Late Night Text.

5-WIN BET ONLY: Tough record for a horse with this name, offering just a 1-for-13 mark. The Florida-bred had a stiff, 9-race juvenile campaign but hasn’t shown anything at age 3 against open company or state-breds to indicate a big move forward here. Second of 2 Joe Orseno trainees entered (both by Win Win Win) but looks to be the least-talented of the pair.

6-PERMIAN BASIN: Tampa Bay Downs shipper exits a 7-furlong allowance win across the state and is 2-for-2 at the specialist’s distance in play Saturday. Finishes up well in her starts, posting 89-96-91 BRIS late pace figures in his last 3 starts. The worst start of her career came in her debut at Gulfstream in October, so there’s some concern about transferring her solid Tampa form. Trainer Chad Stewart is 0-9 on the Tampa to Gulfstream move the last 5 years, but did have a third-place stakes finisher last year. Jockey Diego Herrera has been riding lights-out locally and picks up the mount.

7-WANDER WOMAN: Owner-trainer Tareq Moubarak tried this one twice at Saratoga last summer to minor placings before going to the sidelines. Her return May 24 at Gulfstream netted an easy maiden score over 6 furlongs. But she didn’t come home fast (92 BRIS late pace figure) and adds an additional furlong while facing stronger competition. Probably looks like a threat with a move on the turn but could flatten out through the lane.

Most Likely Exotics Contender:
LATE NIGHT TEXT just won over the track and distance and looks the part with a great trip.

Best Longshot Contender:
No major prices expected with a 7-horse field.

Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$100 win LATE NIGHT TEXT.