Horses for courses are easy to spot, and no horse on the Saturday card at Gulfstream Park deserves more attention than Stormy Embrace in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl Stakes.

The Sugar Swirl is the 3rd leg of the late Pick 4 that starts off with the Grade 3 Rampart Stakes, follows with the Grade 3 My Charmer Stakes and ends with the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale Stakes.

Stormy Embrace, a 4-year-old Circular Quay filly trained by Kathleen O’Connell, has been outstanding over the Gulfstream strip, and about three-quarters of her $460,000-plus in earnings has been accomplished through eight local starts. She won four of those and had a 2nd and a 3rd. Stormy Embrace is coming off her greatest challenge as she went into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Churchill Downs. She failed to break well and never really got involved.

She’s back home and likely will be very difficult to beat. Is she a single? Not on this ticket. It’s clear that if every horse runs its best, Stormy Embrace will have no problem. However, the best of plans can go awry – a fact we all know. Should Stormy Embrace not bring her best, Dream Pauline might have the best chance at an upset. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Tapit filly has started only three races and has won two of those. She was 3rd in her only stakes attempt but it clearly a runner improving with experience.

All things equal, Stormy Embrace gets the nod, but Dream Pauline will have her share of support and should run well.

Other top selections in the Pick 4 races are Electric Forest in the Rampart, 
Capla Tempress in the My Charmer and Hi Happy in the Fort Lauderdale.

Here’s the complete suggested ticket for the late Pick 4 at Gulfstream Park:

Race 8) #1 Electric Forest, #2 Tweeting, #3 Tapa Tapa Tapa, #4 Breaking Bread.

Race 9) #6 La Moneda, #8 Capla Temptress, #15 Lafta.

Race 10) #4 Stormy Embrace, #7 Dream Pauline.

Race 11) #4 Qurbaan, #5 Hi Happy, #6 Blacktype, #9 Mr Havercamp.

Total Ticket Cost) $48 for $0.50