The Lead:Trainer Brian Lynch looks to continue to shred the competition during the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet when he sends out the headliner in the Race 11 Royal Delta Stakes. The intriguing mix has a few rising stars, the race's defending champion, a Kentucky Oaks runner-up and a west coast export. The 1-1/16 miles test for fillies and mares is named for the 2-time Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Royal Delta, who had a win and a second in this race when it was previously named the Sabin Stakes.Saturday's Royal Delta will be part of the Sunset 6 wager between Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita (final 3 races at each track daily). Note the Sunset 6 has a $33K carryover heading into Friday's card. And for those looking ahead, Gulfstream will offer a mandatory Rainbow 6 payout on Sunday to close out the weekend.​​Field Depth:Grade 2 winner NOTHING LIKE YOU is joined by Grade 3 winners ALPINE PRINCESS, SHRED THE GNAR and DAZZLING MOVE. DREXEL HILL is Grade 1-placed.​Pace:SHRED THE GNAR has wired 3 straight fields and figures to make the front once again. The pressure doesn't look overwhelming and it's likely this race is controlled on or near the front with a short run to the first turn and sixteenth-pole finish line in play.Our Eyes:Here are my horse-by-horse notes.#1-ALPINE PRINCESS: Consistent and well-placed 2025 season was capped with career-best in Grade 2 Falls City. Not a blazer, but should be able to hold position with advantageous rail draw. First start at Gulfstream so note an average 13% win rate for sire Classic Empire offspring over the surface. Corey Lanerie won this race in 2021 with Queen Nekia and replaces Irad Ortiz Jr., who will be overseas for the Saudi Cup.#2-SENZA PAROLE (pictured): Blowout local allowance winner January 15 has hinted at future stardom a few times now in a stop-and-start career. Typical bullet worker came out of that win with her customary morning zip as the Chad Brown trainee looks to navigate 2 turns for the first time. Gun Runner filly bred to handle it and benefits from the sixteenth-pole finish line at this trip. Expect inside speed under Miguel Vasquez, another deputy for the traveling Irad Ortiz Jr.#3-EUNOMIA: First of 3 Saffie Joseph Jr. trainees in the lineup as he aims for a third straight score in this race and fifth in the last 7 years. Stakes debut for this Tiz the Law filly who has battled in turf and dirt allowance tests for the bulk of her 11 starts. Edwin Gonzalez rides the Keeneland and Tampa winner who aims for a third straight score. Bullet works of late at Palm Meadows as she tries Gulfstream for the first time (sire Tiz the Law 14% local winners). A cut below these unleash she’s vastly improved.#4-SHRED THE GNAR: Rising star announced her presence here last winter when blowing away maidens in March. She added a Derby Week allowance romp at Churchill before going to the sides and returned in November to win the Grade 3 Chilukki at CD by daylight. Trainer Brian Lynch has a meet-best 7 stakes wins at the current Championship Meet and is winning everything in sight. Into Mischief filly has won around 1 turn and 2 and figures to be a major threat up front throughout the Royal Delta. Mario Gutierrez (13-for-25 with Lynch at GP!) replaces Luis Saez, who will be at Fair Grounds on Saturday.#5-DAZZLING MOVE: Defending Royal Delta heroine will try to keep Saffie Joseph Jr. rolling in a race he’s won 4 times in the last 6 years. Since its 1991 debut, only Awesome Maria in 2011-’12 has managed repeat victories in this race. She’s lost 8 straight since her Royal Delta score and her 2 starts at the current meet don’t inspire a turnaround. Tyler Gaffalione takes over for traveling John Velazquez.#6-NOTHING LIKE YOU: Former Bob Baffert trainee went through the sales ring in November and brought back to training instead of embarking on a broodmare career just yet. New connections sent her to Brendan Walsh and he’s had the 2024 Santa Anita Oaks winner training right on cute at Palm Meadows, capped by a bullet work Feb. 4. She was a cut below the good ones at age 4 and I’ll make her prove it to me at Gulfstream for the first time. Malibu Moon offspring win 13% at Gulfstream on dirt.#7-DREXEL HILL: The 2025 Kentucky Oaks runner-up missed most of the second half of her sophomore season. The Whit Beckman trainee returned on par where she left, but will need a move forward off her listed Wayward Lass score last month at Tampa Bay Downs to best some of these. Jockey Javier Castellano has 3 wins in the Royal Delta (2007, 2008, 2014) and can match John Velazquez’s race record of 4 if successful Saturday.#8-CLARET BERET: Final of 3 entrants for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who bids to surpass Todd Pletcher and become the first 5-time winner of the Royal Delta. This primarily sprinter did win a 2-turn allowance at Oaklawn against entry-level rivals a year ago. The wide draw and immediate left-hand turn at this 1-1/16 miles trip can be confounding for a sprinter. She’s run well to be third in the Rampart and Inside Information this meet and a third minor check might be her ceiling.Most Likely Exotics Contender:SHRED THE GNAR is a neck from perfection in 4 starts and has separate wins over the track and at the distance.Best Longshot Contender:None projected in the exacta, but DREXEL HILL at 20-1 morning line has been first or second 7 times in 10 starts and her ceiling isn't as well-known as some of these.Sending it in ($100 bankroll):$100 exacta SHRED THE GNAR over SENZA PAROLE.

The anticipation builds as the carryover pool grows. No one has cashed out on the Sunset 6 wager in three weeks, leaving $33,119 in the Friday the 13th pool for anyone who picks the last three winners at both Gulfstream and Santa Anita Park. It costs $1 to play, or $108 for our ticket listed below:GP 8th race (3:50 p.m. EST) -- HEIR TO THE ROAR is the most consistent runner in the field but has yet to race on turf. Her dam’s siblings were 0-for-14 on the lawn. BABY BLOCKS shows consistent grass form but she finished second four times in a row and is 0-5 on the Gulfstream turf. WILDLY SPEEDY is an allowance runner-up, but she faltered as the favorite last June in which the top three finishers are a combined 17/1-0-0 since then. Hit the ‘ALL’ button in Leg 1.GP 9th race (4:20 p.m. EST) -- FIVE G traveled cross country off a nine-month layoff for her first Grade 1 race, but she ‘climbed early’ and back-pedaled to last on the Santa Anita turn in the 7F La Brea. She returns to the scene of a wire-to-wire victory in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks last March and gets Lasix off a string of steady workouts. CONTRARY is hitting her best stride for her first stakes attempt. She stalked the pace-controlling second favorite in the 4-path and got up late to prevail in a one-mile allowance last out, earning a second consecutive upper-80 speed figure. SUGAR FISH won two Grade 2 route races during a blockbuster freshman season, but raced only twice as a 3-year-old. She makes her seasonal debut for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who sent out the 1-2 finishers in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup.GP 10th race (4:50 p.m. EST) -- ENGLISH ROCKER rallied mildly between rivals in a turf marathon two back, finishing behind the likes of Grade 3 runner-up Chapman’s Peak and Maiden Special Weight winner Blast Furnace (82 Beyer). He can factor at a good price in his first start for a claiming tag. AUTHENTIC LEGEND posted three bullet workouts for his seasonal debut but raced evenly in a fast-paced grass route at 1-1/16 miles. He was guided to the 5-path for the stretch drive when third at this level two starts ago.SA 6th race (6:03 p.m. EST) -- It’s anybody’s race in this Maiden Special Weight turf mile. MIDNIGHT STRIKE is 5/0-0-0 going long on the turf, but he has a good work tab for his return from an eight-month layoff, the right running style with plenty of speed in the compact field and, most importantly, met eight next-out winners in those starts with high-end speed figures, not to mention eventual Grade 2 winner Call Sign Seven and Grade 3 victor Nitti.SA 7th race (6:33 p.m. EST) -- ARTISMA finished second in three consecutive sprints at this level before an unsuccessful Grade 1 try. She stalked a three-way duel two starts back, loomed boldly with a 4-wide bid on the turn but came up a neck short of victory in a longer sprint than today. She is one of two solo plays in the Sunset 6.SA 8th race (7: 03p.m. EST) -- JOHN METCALFE led and held second in three consecutive one-mile races before he was roughed up at the start and no factor in the Cal Cup Derby. He dueled on a short lead in his lone grass test, holding second after favored Unrivaled Time passed by for the win, the same Unrivaled Time who won a Grade 3 stakes next out. ROBIN OLDS debuts for trainer Phil D’Amato, who won with 2 of his last 7 first-out turf starters at Santa Anita. The 3-year-old colt will try to follow in the footsteps of his dam, Enola Gray, who was 4-for-6 on the lawn with a Grade 3 win and three minor stakes victories against Cal breds. Our Sunset 6 hopes will rest on these two runners, but if FLASH OF LIGHTNING draws into the race, add #10 to the final leg.Suggested $1 TicketGP 8th Race: ALLGP 9th Race: 1, 4, 7GP 10th Race: 5, 6SA 6th Race: 3SA 7th Race: 8SA 8th Race: 4, 8 (add #10 if he draws in)Cost: $108

Prices were hard to come by last week as a season-low $110.50 total bankroll proved best in Week 6 of the 21st season of the Xpressbet Beat the Host handicapping contest. Credit to Keith Vanlanen for leading the way and earning the $1000 weekly first prize. Next up will be host Samantha Perry, paddock reporter at Gulfstream Park, as the contest hits its final 3 weeks of the regular season.Vanlanen’s Week 6 score narrowly edged runner-up Gary Kioyhara at $106.00, which earned a $750 prize. Maria Cimino posted a $98.50 total that netted her $250 in prize money. Overall, 51 players managed to Beat the Host (Santa Anita pregame host Tom Quigley). That means 534 spots have been punched to the Beat the Host Championship Round on March 7.The $65,000 Beat the Host competition encompasses 10 races each contest Saturday, split between the final 5 Gulfstream Park races and first 5 from Santa Anita. Contestants place $5 win bets on the Xpressbet platform for each of the 10 Beat the Host races, earning their parimutuel winnings as well as prize pools.All contestants who beat the cumulative bankroll total of the host each Saturday qualify for the Beat the Host Championship on March 7. Weekly prize pools of $2,000 are also in play for the top-3 finishers, while a $6,500 Sweep the Host bonus split is in store for those sharp enough to top the host totals all 9 weeks of the contest. Only 5 of 793 registrants remain eligible for the Sweep the Host bonus after 6 weeks this season.A check-in for the season-long leaderboard in contest earnings shapes up this way: Christopher Cupples’ lead has tightened on top with $491.75 bagged. He’s chased by Phillip Perkins ($466.75), Steven Busching ($404.25), Ron Watson ($395.50) and top-5 newcomer Richard Atlass ($391.25).The BTH Championship pits all weekly winning players against one another in pursuit of seats in the lucrative Pegasus World Cup Betting Challenge, Xpressbet Santa Anita Derby Challenge and Xpressbet Florida Derby Challenge tournaments.Last season, 496 of 711 Beat the Host players were able to top the host total at least once during the season. Glenn Gulden paced all players in the cumulative season totals last year, while George Blanchard took down the top prize in the Beat the Host Championship round finale.Tournament & Host Schedule:Saturday, January 3, 2026 - Pete AielloSaturday, January 10, 2026 - Millie BallSaturday, January 17, 2026 - Michelle YuSaturday, January 24, 2026 - Scott ShapiroSaturday, January 31, 2026 - Brian NadeauSaturday, February 7, 2026 - Tom QuigleySaturday, February 14, 2026 - Samantha PerrySaturday, February 21, 2026 - Zoe CadmanSaturday, February 28, 2026 - Ron NicolettiSaturday, March 7, 2026 – Beat the Host Championship Round

EXTRA INCENTIVESBet $100, Get $10 | Tampa ($50) and Turfway ($50) | today’s racesSCHEDULE NOTESMahoning Valley | cancelledNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $52,812 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETPick 6 | $37,412 | Aqueduct | begins Race 4 | 2:11 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $400,097 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 4:07 pm ETPick 5 | $45,923 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 4 | 4:40 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $498,746 | Turfway | begins Race 5 | 7:55 pm ETKEY RACESTurf Paradise | Race 7 | 6:04 pm ET | Cluer Memorial StakesLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXAqueduct | Race 9 | 4:43 pm ETTurfway | Race 5 | 7:55 pm ETDelta Downs | Race 9 | 9:29 pm ETTRAINERS TO WATCHRobertino Diodoro | Turf Paradise | 4 of 5 entrants 3-1 or less oddsDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Parx | trainer Mike Pino | 3 wins from 5 startersPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMScott Shapiro: Tampa & Turf Paradise Bet $100, Get $10 Picks for WednesdayFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section

The season’s biggest card at Sunland Park takes place Sunday and puts New Mexico racing squarely on the Triple Crown trail. The $500,000 Sunland Derby goes as Race 9 on a 6-stakes marquee, and the 1-1/16 miles test offers 20 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to its winner. Top trainers and jockeys from around the country are in town for the stakes races.Horseplayers with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet take advantage of up to a $10 money-back special promo on Triple Crown prep race win bets, featuring Saturday’s Risen Star at Fair Grounds and Saudi Derby overseas as well as Sunday’s Sunland Derby this weekend. Get up to $10 back if your win bet finishes second or third when you bet with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet.Let’s meet the contenders for the Sunland Derby (Race 9):#1-EXPRESS KID (pictured): Remington Park’s Springboard Mile winner was sold in January’s Fasig-Tipton one-horse digital flash sale for $800,000 and makes his first appearance for the new connections. Sunland-based trainer Justin Evans takes over for Wade Rarick and looks to keep the magic going with this 34-1 upsetter in Oklahoma City. Bodexpress colt overcame the 11-hole last out and draws the rail while getting Santa Anita-based Juan Hernandez – in town to ride for Bob Baffert in the Sunland Oaks – to pilot. Hernandez guided Getaway Car to victory in this race a year ago.#2-SHARONS BEACH: Santa Anita-based maiden has yet to score in 3 tries, including a pair of Colonial Downs efforts last summer. High-percentage trainer Jonathan Thomas takes a big swing with this Omaha Beach gelding, but lands Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez. Stretches out beyond a mile for the first time and makes his first dirt route bid.#3-PAVLOVIAN: California-bred ventures back into open company, a place where he finished second in the Grade 3 Best Pal last summer at Del Mar. Blinkers go back on the recent Cal Cup Derby third-place finisher. Trainer Doug O’Neill takes the Reddam Racing home-bred on the road for the first time. The barn has had Sunland Derby success before, winning with Slow Down Andy (2022), Thor’s Echo (2005) and Excessivepleasure (2003 inaugural). A fourth O’Neill victory would tie Bob Baffert’s Sunland Derby training record for wins.#4-FORTY TWENTY: The most lightly raced member of the lineup makes just his third lifetime start. Candy Ride colt blew away Turf Paradise maiden sprinters by 12 lengths last time at 1-9 odds and will be tested for distance and class in his first foray at Sunland. Robertino Diodoro trains and regular rider Orlando Mojica returns to the saddle. This one is half-brother to Take Charge Tom, who last year won the local Riley Allison Derby and Mine That Bird Derby while finishing fourth in this race.#5-WAY BEYOND: Nose runner-up in the local prep, the Riley Allison Derby, for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen – who won this race in 2012 with Daddy Nose Best and 2017 with Hence. Way Beyond gets a rematch with that race’s winner Daneyko as well as Express Kid from his fifth-place matchup in the Springboard Mile at Remington Park. Twirling Candy colt is 1-for-7 with a maiden score at Churchill Downs in September.#6-BRICKLIN: Oaklawn allowance winner scratched from last week’s Southwest Stakes in Hot Springs to make the Sunland Derby road trip. Nyquist colt has won 2 of his last 3 for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, but was a distant sixth in his only stakes try, October’s Grade 3 Street Sense at Churchill. Jockey Cristian Torres steered Silent Tactic to victory in the aforementioned $1 million Southwest and looks for a second Derby trail prep win in as many weeks.#7-DANEYKO: Deep closer rallied for a nose victory in the Riley Allison Derby over Way Beyond in his Sunland debut. Turf Paradise turf maiden winner also added a second-place Lost In The Fog Juvenile stakes finish on dirt. Arizona-based trainer Ed Kereluk once again tabs local ace pilot Alfredo Juarez (won 2017 Sunland Derby aboard Hence). Danekyo hopes to join Nyquist as Kentucky Derby winners named for National Hockey League stars. Namesake Ken Daneyko was a 3-time Stanley Cup winner with the New Jersey Devils.#8-BUNTUS FOCLORA: Five-race maiden from New York makes a curious appearance far from home while tackling stakes company for the first time. His best effort was runner-up at Aqueduct in December to Schoolyardsuperman, who disappointed last week in the listed Withers Stakes when finishing fourth as the 3-2 favorite. Former Todd Pletcher assistant Amelia Green seeks her first Derby trail success. By Thousand Words, the shrewdly monikered colt is named for the Irish book designed to teach children their first 1,000 words.

Another midway point of the week is approaching, which means another chance at our Wednesday Wins promotion. For those who missed it during the first few opportunities, it is simple. Just register for the promo, wager $50 each on Tampa Bay Downs and Turfway Park on Wednesday, and earn a $10 bonus. I have been taking part at both mid-week tracks on “Hump Day” to start 2026 when mother nature has cooperated and plan to do so again tomorrow building around these horses.Tampa Bay Downs Race 8, 4:20 pm ETMy top play in Oldsmar comes in this $16k conditional claimer at two-turns over the grass where there is not very much early speed signed on. I am hopeful #4 Mr. Business can take advantage. The son of Flameaway broke his maiden in his first start off the layoff on January 7 for new trainer Francisco Alanis before being beaten to the lead and caught a bit wide in his first try against winners just 17 days later. Alanis drops this 4YO gelding in class into a spot where jockey Marcos Meneses should be able to control the early tempo. Hopefully, he has enough left late to put this group away in his third start of the form cycle.Play: #4 Mr Business (6-1 ML)Turfway Park Race 4, 7:25 pm ETI am also hoping the pace is moderate later on tomorrow in this open $5k claimer at 6-furlongs where I like a price. #4 Takethesilver makes her third start of the meet for trainer Roddina Barrett after a fourth-place run versus better on New Years’ Day. Barrett puts the blinkers on for the first time and keeps veteran Martin Garcia aboard. Garcia’s best skill has always been his ability to get horses out of the gate and then relax them on the lead. I am hopeful he can do just that with this Take Charge Indy mare that is in search of her first victory over this surface. The price should be right to gamble on her to win and play a Daily Double into my play of the day up next.Play: #4 Takethesilver (12-1 ML)Turfway Park Race 5, 7:55 pm ETA number of 3YO fillies entered in this auction restricted MSW at 6-furlongs exit a similar race at half a furlong farther on January 9. This not only includes 7-2-second choice #1Edey, but also my top choice #10 Golden Thread. The daughter of City of Light showed decent tactical speed on debut going the challenging 6.5-furlong distance at odds of over 21-1 and battled to the wire to finish second beaten just half a length. Trainer Eoin Harty legs up Alex Achard this time around. Hopefully, Achard can avoid serious ground loss from the outside draw. If so, I like this gal’s chances to take a big step forward in her second lifetime start.Play: #10 Golden Thread (4-1 ML)

With the Super Bowl in the rearview mirror and the stakes getting higher in Triple Crown preps starting this Saturday with the Risen Star (G2), it felt like the right time to start my newest blog. The purpose of this piece of content each week will be to look back at some of the recent Derby qualifiers with an eye towards making money moving forward. We have a little catching up to do, so let’s dive right into the first edition of “Prep School.”Most Impressive Prep Effort to Date: RenegadeThe Sam F. Davis has not been the most productive prep when it comes to Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown success, but as Justify illustrated in 2018 trends are made to be broken. Only six horses this decade have competed in the “Run for the Roses” out of the race conducted each February at Tampa Bay Downs with Owen Almighty being 2025’s representative in Louisville in May, so it is fair to be dubious about the quality of the event, as well as wondering about the spacing being ideal to peak at the right time, but perhaps 2026 is different. Not only has there yet to be many “wow” performances from the crop, but Renegade brought proven form into Oldsmar despite not officially having a win before the race. Trainer Todd Pletcher is likely to get the regally bred son of Into Mischief colt to peak in the Arkansas Derby, but the question is can he save his biggest effort for May.Top Contender (as of now) I am willing to fade on first Saturday in May: NearlyIt is early to make over the top bold statements about young horse’s chances of running well in three months, but at this point I am willing to let Nearly beat me at what his likely off odds would be in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. The son of Not This Time has done little wrong since arriving in Florida in November after a forgivable debut in New York to kick off his career. On paper, he is tough to knock, but historically these horses that lack solid efforts outside the Sunshine State have been hard to trust. Plus, as dominant as his effort was in the Holy Bull (G3) it came with him taking advantage of racing in the clear on a day where the outside was the clear place to be over the main track at Gulfstream Park. Nearly has been very good thus far, but currently is not a horse I am interested in wagering on in any futures pool.Horse I am Keeping an Eye On: Solider N DiplomatTrainer Steve Asmussen has won more races than anyone in North American racing history, but still is in search of his first Kentucky Derby score. I am not sure he gets it in 2026, but he definitely has a nice-looking colt in Soldier N Diplomat. The St Elias Stable runner is not bred to get the classic distance, so that could be his undoing, but he continues to get better. The son of Army Mule had every reason to give it up earlier last Friday in the Southwest (G3) when despite a good break he was forced four-wide into the first turn and remained three-wide the rest of the way, yet was still able to out finish the other speed types involved early along the inside paths. At some point, Soldier N Diplomat’s lack of stamina is likely to be his demise, but he certainly is one to keep an eye on for the Pat Day Mile (G2) if 10-furlongs turns out to be too far.Runner with Most to Prove This Coming Weekend: Golden TempoThe Risen Star (G2) headlines North American thoroughbred racing this coming weekend and marks the return of Palladin. The son of Gun Runner was beaten to the wire by Renegade on debut, but placed first via DQ and then beat the Sam F. Davis winner on the square in the Remsen (G2) before getting some time off from trainer Chad Brown. He will be the public choice, but Lecomte (G3) winner Golden Tempo has more to prove. The late running Cherie DeVaux trainee enters his third career start a perfect 2 for 2 with both wins coming over the Fair Grounds main track. That said, he has lacked early speed in both starts to date and took advantage of a favorable flow to outfinish stablemate Mesquite last month. The competition gets tougher here for the son of Curlin that clearly has talent, but needs to take a step forward in terms of figures on Saturday to be considered a serious contender in the biggest races this spring.

SCHJEDULE NOTEMahoning Valley | cancelledNOTABLE CARRYOVERSJackpot Pick 5 | $33,199 | Parx | begins Race 1 | 12:05 pm ETJackpot Pick 6 | $370,854 | Turf Paradise | begins Race 3 | 4:07 pm ETLONGSHOT RACE ALERT FROM BETMIXParx | Race 11 | 4:35 pm ETTurf Paradise | Race 7 | 6:05 pm ETWill Rogers Downs | Race 9 | 6:11 pm ETDID YOU SEE?Yesterday | Will Rogers Downs | jockey David Cabrera | 3 wins, 1 second from 7 mountsPUT US ON YOUR HANDICAPPING TEAMFrank Carulli & Brian W. Spencer best bets today in Xpressbet.com member’s section