Handicapping Articles

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  2/5/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  9       Race overview  A deep and competitive 75k MCL for 3yofs at 1-mile on turf.         Pace  There’s not too much here, so expected a tight pack that will turn into a sprint off the far turn.      Trends  Speed is lethal on turf, as horses routinely zip up front yet still don’t come back in the end, so you have to have some tactical zip, at the very least.      Best Play  #1 GOAL (4-1): MSW dropper was…

Sunday Feb 2,2025   Best Bet: R9: #9 Queen of Naples (3-1) * Huge turf works says look out * Proven runners don’t inspire * Dream trip off inside speed (#2)

Happy Holy Bull Day!  Strong card at Gulfstream Park today with five stakes races headlined by the Grade 3 Holy Bull. It’s a very competitive field led by Ferocious who showed a lot of promise as a two year old.  Trivia question: The Holy Bull is the first leg of the three race sequence that comprise the Gulfstream Park portion of Kentucky Derby preps. What are the other Derby preps held at Gulfstream Park that award points for the 2025 Kentucky Derby?   Gulfstream Park Race 10 – The Kitten’s Joy   One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Turf for Three Year Olds  Enterdadragon: Won an optional claimer at…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  2/1/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  5       Race overview  A deep and competitive MSW for 3yos a 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta       Pace  There’s a full field of 10 here, including several first-time starters, so things should be honest up front.      Trends  Tapeta routes are a bit faired, in terms of running styles, as stalker/closers have a much better chance, as opposed to sprinting.      Best Play  #8 ONRUSH (5-1): The dirt didn’t work at all last time but the Tapeta route debut at…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  1/31/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  6       Race overview  A deep and competitive 50k MCL fo 3yos at 6 ½ Fs on the main.       Pace  It should be honest, as more than a few want to be involved early.      Trends  Speed plays sprinting on main, as races rarely fall apart in the lane, so you need to have tactical speed, at the very least.      Best Play  #5 MOGORDY (9-2): MSW dropper also cuts back to one-turn, where he was 5th in a wildly…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  1/30/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  7       Race overview  A deep and competitive 20k claimer for 4up going 5 ½ Fs on Tapeta.       Pace  It looks honest enough, as there are three (at least) who want to be involved early, in some regard.      Trends  Speed plays sprinting on Tapeta, so you better have some tactical zip, as the very least, as races rarely fall apart in the lane.      Best Play  #1 SOUER SUCCESS (9-5): Drexler re-claim (twice) goes for a barn that has…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  1/29/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  4       Race overview  A solid 12.5k N2L for 4upfm routing at 1m 70 yards on Tapeta.       Pace  There’s not much here, which should aid he chances of class-dropping #7 MOMMA KIM (5-2).      Trends  Speed isn’t quite as dominant routing on Tapeta as it is sprinting, but it still gives quality runners a decided edge.      Best Play  #7 MOMMA KIN (5-2): Class dropper was facing much better for 25k the last time she was on Tapeta, and her…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  1/26/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  9       Race overview  A strong AOC for 4up at 6 ½ Fs that could easily pass as a stakes.       Pace  There’s seemingly not much here other than #4 SWIRVIN (7-2), which gives him a big tactical edge.      Trends  Speed plays sprinting on the main, as it’s tough to make up significant ground off the far turn.      Best Play  #4 SWIRVIN (7-2): Speedster is back home at GP, where he’s 3-for-7 (and 1-for-4 elsewhere), should be able to…

Happy Pegasus Day!  Today we seven graded stakes at Gulfstream Park led by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational. This is the first big day on the 2025 calendar and we have big competitive fields.  Trivia Question: Which trainer has the most wins in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational?  Race 12 – The Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational  Stakes – Grade I  One Mile and a Furlong on the Turf for Four Year Olds and Upward   Siege of Boston: Six year old War Front colt who hasn’t won in eighteen months but has picked up the pieces in several Grade 3 events. Ran well enough last out…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                        Date  1/25/25      Featured track  Gulfstream Park      Race number  7       Race overview  A full field in the G3 La Prevoyante for 4upfm at 1 ½ miles on turf.       Pace  It’s a full field, but at this marathon distance, expect things to crawl early, and turn into a sprint off the far turn.      Trends  Speed has been king on turf, but with constant rain over the past week, that could temper things a bit and level the playing field.      Best Play  #5 BEAUTIFUL LOVE (5-2): Godolphin miss…