Handicapping Articles

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/14/21      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  5       Race overview  A strong OC/SAL for 4up going 7Fs on the main track.       Pace  There’s not a ton of pure sprint speed here, so at the very least, you need to be able to lay close early.      Trends  Speed plays on the main, though at this distance things can be a bit more on the fair side, though coming from the back isn’t an ideal recipe for success, regardless.        Best Play  #1 URANIUM (5-1): Streaking sort comes…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/13/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  5      Race overview  A field-of-10 f/ms 3up going 5Fs on Tapeta.       Pace  There’s plenty here, as there usually is in a Tapeta sprints, so expect things to be hot and contested early.      Trends  Speed plays sprinting on Tapeta, often no matter how fast they go early, so you better have the ability to lay close, at the very least.       Best Play  #7 DAVID’S ROSE (2-1): Versatile miss almost wired better last tie but can stalk too, and this…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/10/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  8      Race overview  A strong renewal of the 100k Captiva Island for 4up f/ms ging 5Fs on turf.       Pace  There’s plenty of pace in here, so things will be hot and contested early.      Trends  The turf tends to be speedy, but there’s been plenty of rain of late, which means things could even out a bit, but regardless, grass races are rarely won from the back.       Best Play  #6 ACCOMPLISHED GIRL (2-1) (turf or Tapeta): Immensely talented…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/9/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  11      Race overview  A wide-open MSW for 3yos going 1-mile on turf.       Pace  Things should be aggressive early on between #4 Devil’s Playground (6-1) and #5 Test Factor (6-1), which means a tactical gear will come in handy.      Trends  The turf tends to be speed, but there’s been plenty of rain of late, which means things could even out a bit, but regardless, grass races are rarely won from the back.       Best Play  #8 BLACK DIAMOND (5-1)…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/8/2024 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 8   Race overview A solid AOC for 4up state bred at 7 ½ Fs on the turf.   Pace There’s not a ton here, which suggests a compact group, so having a tactical gear will come in handy. Trends The turf tends to be speedy, especially sprinting, but there’s been plenty of rain of late, which means things could even out a bit, but regardless, turf races are rarely won from the back.   Best Play #4 Sociallongdistance (2-1) (turf only): Stalker was in a bit over his head against open foes…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/7/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  7      Race overview  A solid 25k N2L for 3up going 7Fs on the main track.        Pace  There’s not a ton here, which suggests a compact group, especially since 7Fs may be stretching the rubber band of a few of these thin.      Trends  The main track, especially sprinting, usually caters to speed, though at this 7F trip, things can be a mire fairer to the stalker/closers.       Best Play  #3 Good Rapport (7-2): Turf-to-dirt runner goes off-the-claim for Tharrenos (12%),…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/6/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  7      Race overview  A solid AOC for 3yos sprinting 5Fs on the turf, and one that seems a key race in the making.       Pace  There’s plenty here, especially towards the inside, so expect things to be hot and contested early.      Trends  Speed plays on turf, especially when it’s firm, as closers struggle to make up significant ground, so you need the ability to be close early.       Best Play  #5 Refuel (9-5) (turf only): Pletcher charge wasn’t really…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/3/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  6      Race overview  A very competitive AOC for f/ms going 1-mile on the turf.       Pace  There’s enough here to suggest a stalker could trip out, as the pace players could cancel themselves out.      Trends  Speed plays on turf, especially when it’s firm, as closers struggle to make up significant ground, so you need the ability to be close early.       Best Play  #8 Party On Girl (5-2) (turf only): Brown runner looked like a short horse last time off…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  3/2/2024      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  2      Race overview  A loaded MSW and potentially key race in the making for 3yos going 7Fs on the main.       Pace  It figures honest, though there are no confirmed burners on paper, so this could be a tighter group than one might expect.      Trends  You need to be close sprinting on the main going short, though a 7F race can play a bit more fair, but on these big days, expect the track to be lightning fast and playing more…

Happy Fountain of Youth Day!  Gulfstream has monster card with eight graded stakes today. The winner of the Fountain of Youth will receive fifty Kentucky Derby points and that should be sufficient to earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby field, especially with the Baffert trainees unable to Run for the Roses.  Trivia question: Who is the only three year old filly to win the Kentucky Oaks, the Black Eyed Susan, and then sweep the Acorn, the Mother Goose, and the Coaching Club American Oaks?    Gulfstream Park Race 9  – The Davona Dale – Grade II  One Mile on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies   Miss…