Last weekend was Santa Anita’s time to shine (weather notwithstanding) as they featured a monster Saturday card showcasing top older horses like McKinzie and Battle of Midway, stellar sophomores in the form of Mucho Gusto and Gunmetal Gray and a massive Pick 6 Mandatory Payout that captivated bettors from around the world. 

This Saturday is Florida’s moment in the (hopefully literal) sun.  Saturday’s action at Gulfstream is headlined by a potentially massive Rainbow 6 Mandatory Payout.  The carryover into Thursday’s race was $1,342,034 and if that goes unclaimed before Saturday everything will be paid out then.  Plus, Saturday’s Gulfstream card features a pair of stakes – the Grade 3 Suwannee River and the ungraded El Prado.  First post is 12:00PM ET and the Pick 6 starts with Race 7 at 3:07PM ET.

Not to be outdone or overlooked, the folks at Tampa Bay Downs have also put together a fine card Saturday, featuring four stakes races, headlined by the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes, a key prep race on the path to the Kentucky Derby. 

My Gulfstream Pick 6 Mandatory Payout Ticket

Here's a quick rundown of the horses I'm using on my ticket for Gulfstream's Mandatory Payout Rainbow 6 on Saturday.

Race 7 – Maiden Claiming

• #4 Valid Exchange (9/5) – Ran well against tougher in a pair of turf sprints but dropped like an anchor in the lone dirt try. 
• #5 Drill Down Dude (8/1) – Firster debuts for a solid barn and has Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. He should be able to run a little.
• #11 In Gus We Trust (12/1) – Gets top local jock Luis Saez and will try to run them all down late.  Daunting task and he’ll need some help up front.

Race 8 - Claiming

• #2 Reagan’s Odyssey (8/5) – Rates the likeliest winner but she has dropped five straight at short odds.  Positive barn switch is a help.
• #9 Dynatown (5/2) – Was beaten just a neck last time and drops in class and gets Johnny V.  Have to think she’ll be ready to roll and is a nice alternative to the fave.

Race 9 - Maiden Special Weight

• #1 Miahsolomiah (12/1) – Ran a decent race in her debut and moves from Irad Ortiz Jr. to Luis Saez for her first route try.  Drew perfectly and would not be a surprise.
• #3 On the Town (6/1) – Finally gets to string together back-to-back races and that could make a big difference for this well-bred daughter of More Than Ready.
• #4 Clause (4/1) – Chad Brown/Irad Ortiz Jr. on the turf.  We’ve heard this story before. Note that Ortiz gets off the 1 and 3 to ride this one for his go-to-trainer.
• #9 Can’t Buy Me Love (7/2) – Came running in a similar race on January 12 and should fire another big shot today. 

Race 10 - Allowance

• #3 Global Campaign (7/5) – Was a poorly-kept secret in his debut at January 5, going off at even-money and romping by nearly 6.  This is a logical ‘next step.’ 
• #5 Standard Deviation (9/5) – Plenty of speed to his inside and he’ll try to gun ‘em down late.  Steps out of a pair of G1s and he ran a lot better than it looks in the Breeders’ Futurity.

Race 11 - El Prado Stakes

• #5 Mr Cub (9/2) – Fired a huge shot when second behind eventual Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Bricks and Mortar on December 22.  If he does that again, he wins.
• #8 Hembree (7/2) – Mike Maker-charge won a G2 last year but hasn’t routed in a while.  He’ll need the pace to come back to him, but that’s possible.
• #11 Cowboy Culture (20/1) – Why not?  He won stakes races in his old barn and came running late to score in his first start for Norm Casse.  He may want more ground.
• #12 Uncle B (15/1) – Has won 5-of-12 at Gulfstream and is in the best form of his career.  Anything is possible.

Race 12 - Maiden Special Weight

• #1 Café Americano (3/1) – Too nervous to single in this spot but she looks like the real deal.  Chad Brown, Irad Oritz Jr., Peter Brant, Medaglia d’Oro…checks all the boxes.
• #11 Lady Worthington (7/2) – Ran huge in her debut but faltered in the second start on December 22.  Gets a jock change to Johnny Velazquez and she’s been working lights out.

Total Ticket Cost = $57.60

Knicks Go Headlines Sam F. Davis Stakes

Kentucky Derby Points are up for grabs in the Sam F. Davis Stakes Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.  The headline horse is Knicks Go (pictured above), who was the shocking 70/1 winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in October and he followed that race up with a runner-up performance in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill.  He faces stiff competition in the ‘Davis, including likely pacesetter Well Defined and Todd Pletcher’s So Alive.  Bet the Sam F. Davis as Race 11 Saturday, at 5:25PM ET.

Plus, the Sam F. Davis is part of our Money-Back Guarantee on the Preps promotion.  Make a $10 Win bet on the race and we’ll refund it if your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd.

Tampa Bay Downs 1 Million Point Late Pick 4 Split

We’re offering a 1 Million Point Split on Saturday’s Late Pick 4 at Tampa Bay Downs.  The sequence gets underway with Race 9 (4:22PM ET) and includes the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis, the Grade 3 Endeavour and the Suncoast Stakes.  Make a winning bet on the Late Pick 4 to Split 1 Million XB Rewards Points!