As Santa Anita’s La Canada (G2) and Oaklawn’s Pippin Stakes (Listed) attracted short fields with a heavy morning line favorite–Vale Dori (ARG) and Streamline, respectively–I’ll concentrate on three graded stakes races from Gulfstream Park on Saturday, January 14, which promise to offer more attractive wagering opportunities.
The $150,000 Marshua’s River (G3) for fillies and mares four-years-old and upward going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf , appears to have an overlay in the form of Godolphin Racing LLC’s Dickinson, a five-year-old bay daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and Juddmonte Spinster (G1) winner Little Belle, will try to keep her perfect record on the turf intact while stepping up to graded stakes company for the first time. The Kiaran McLaughlin trainee is 9-2 on the morning line and will will break from post eight under jockey John Velazquez.
Gunpowder Stable LLC’s grade-one-winning son of Kitten’s Joy, Divisadero, looks playable at 4-1 morning line odds in a deep, competitive renewal of the $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale Handicap (G2). The five-year-old bay hasn’t been seen at the races since his fifth-place effort behind Flintshire in last summer’s Manhattan Handicap (G1) at Belmont Park, however he has an affinity for Gulfstream Park’s turf course and is capable of a winning effort off a layoff. Journeyman rider Edgar Prado has the call on Divisidero, who drew post position seven in the field of 12.
Paul P. Pompa, Jr., and J Stables LLC’s Tommy Macho should appreciate turning back in distance to a one-turn mile trip in the $150,000 Hal’s Hope Stakes (G3) for four-year-olds and upward. The bay son of Macho Uno returns to the races off a near two month freshening, but has won three of his past five starts off the shelf, has never missed the exacta over the main track in Hallandale Beach, and won the Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) for fun when last seen on dirt at Gulfstream Park. He’s a tantalizing 9-2 on the morning line for trainer Todd Pletcher and will break from the two-hole under the hot riding Luis Saez.
Additionally, I’ll provide analysis and selections for a trio of races on Monday, January 16, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day–the Toboggan (G3) from Aqueduct, the Smarty Jones (Listed) from Oaklawn Park, and the Megahertz (G3) from Santa Anita.
For today’s Gulfstream Park Spot Plays click HERE.