Fred W. Hooper Stakes – Race 9 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 3:38 PM Eastern

Unbridled Juan ALWAYS shows up, which is all we can ask when wagering on a horse. First or second in four of six since returning from an eight month layoff last May, Unbridled Juan, who opens at 8 to 1, ran three “A” races in a row last fall, all stakes, earning 108, 114 and 106 Equibase figures which are on par with lower odds horses in the field. In 11 career one-turn races (like this one), Unbridled Juan has a record of 5-4-2. He’s won at Gulfstream and Cintron, up for his last three starts, rides him again. I can’t find a single knock and so I’m hopeful we can start today’s series of races out with a nice overlay winner.

Before winning on 12/7, Breaking Lucky had not won in 12 starts dating back to August, 2016. He did have a couple of big second place finishes during that time, when second by a neck in the 2017 New Orleans Handicap and when second to Gun Runner in the 2016 Clark Handicap. Apparently, this one-turn mile trip suits him well, as the 12/7 effort earned a strong 110 figure with Saez aboard then as now. Likely to move forward second off the layoff, Breaking Lucky must be considered a strong contender, and also offers value opening at 9 to 2.

Aztec Sense has won EIGHT races in a row and nine of 10 since the $12,500 claim by Navarro in the summer of 2017. Four of the wins came in stakes with purses of $100 or more, although none were graded, and the most recent came at Gulfstream last month in the Claiming Crown Jewel Stakes, in which he won gamely by a neck on the wire in a field of 12. The one-turn mile is not issue as he won last February at the trip over the track, and with his last five Equibase figures being 107, 104, 107, 121 and 106, repeating any of his recent efforts could have him in the thick of the action on the wire once again at the very least.

Coal Front is a contender but has two knocks so I’ll use him defensively as I don’t want to be beaten by him. The first knock is his 9 to 5 starting odds which are out of line with probability in my opinion as he has no more chance to win then any of the previously mentioned contenders. The second is he gets the rail, which can be problematic in this one-turn mile which is basically a long sprint. Only farther back than one length one time after a quarter mile in any of his races, Coal Front will need to show speed to get good position in this 10 horse field and there’s no guarantee that is going to happen. On the other hand, his second start back from a 13 month layoff on 12/22 was a big effort as he won the Mr. Prospector Stakes at seven furlongs with a 108 figure. He’s had a month off so is unlikely to regress, but he’s never run this mile trip previously whereas the other three all have wins at the distance.

Bets: Unbridled Juan to win at 3 to 1 or higher, adding a place bet if 4 to 1 or more.

Breaking Lucky to win at odds of 3 to 1 or more.

In the unlikely event Aztec Sense is anywhere near 3 to 1 at post time, he can be bet to win as well.

Note: When making multiple win bets, use a “Dutching” tool to do the work of allocating your wagering dollars for the best edge. Amwager has a great dutching tool available, among many other great features.

$0.50 Pick 4 ticket:

Race 9 – Coal Front, Breaking Lucky, Aztec Sense, Unbridled Juan

Race 10 – Soglio, Canessar, Hunter O’Riley

Race 11 – Yoshida, Aerolithe, Next Shares, Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

Race 12 – City of Light, Accelerate, Tom’s d’Etat

At the $0.50 level, if all of the above run, the cost of the ticket is $90

In the event the cost of the pick 4 is too steep, then play a $0.50 Pick 3 ticket as follows:

Race 9 – Coal Front, Breaking Lucky, Aztec Sense, Unbridled Juan

Race 10 – Soglio, Canessar, Hunter O’Riley

Race 11 – Yoshida, Aerolithe, Next Shares, Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

At the $0.50 level, if all of the above run, the cost of the ticket is $30

Optional Double:

Race 9 – Coal Front, Breaking Lucky, Aztec Sense, Unbridled Juan

Race 10 – Soglio, Canessar, Hunter O’Riley

W.L. McKnight Stakes – Race 10 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 4:14 PM Eastern

Soglio ran fantastically well, although beaten a head, last month in the two mile H. Allen Jerkens Stakes over the course. He ran as well when a nose shy in the off-turf Red Smith the previous month, won at this 12 furlong turf trip in October and nearly won the identical Kentucky Turf Cup Stakes in September when he led late and was beaten a half-length and a neck on the wire. Last time out and in the win, Soglio had the services of Jose Ortiz, who rides today, so from a ground saving inside post perhaps all the hors needs is the slightest bit of luck compared to the Jerkens, when he lacked room at a critical stages or might have won. Sent to post as the 6 to 5 favorite that day, Soglio opens at 9 to 2 odds and that makes him a great bet to win and to use on exacta tickets if those odds, or anything close, hold up.

Canessar has a recent record similar to the top choice, as he was beaten a length one before last and a neck in his most recent race. The first of the two was the two mile Belmont Gold Cup last June and the latter was the identical Stars and Stripes Stakes in July. He won in his U.S. debut in the summer of 2017 at this marathon distance on turf in a $100K stakes and with Castellano riding and freshened since last summer this tough runner with a six for 15 record has a big shot, also opening at very playable odds of 5 to 1.

Hunter O’Riley will make things very interesting, and profitable, if he runs well, as he opens at 20/1. Winner of over $400K in his career, he rallied from 12th to fifth in the 2017 Belmont Gold Cup after a win at this 12 furlong turf trip in the spring. Two later, in July 2017, Hunter O’Riley proved capable at the level when posting the 16/1 upset in the Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga. Three poor races ensued through last April, but he’s been off since then and perhaps more importantly, recently gelded. Leading Southern California jockey and superb turf rider Flavien Prat takes the call and the gelding has been in steady training on the turf going back six weeks so he appears fit and ready to run his best, which could be good enough to post the double digit upset.

Bets: Soglio to win at 5 to 2 or more, adding a place bet at 4 to 1 or higher.

Consider a second win bet, on Canessar, at odds of 3 to 1 or more, adding a place bet at 9 to 2 or higher.

Definitely consider at least a minimum win and place (or win, place and show) bet on Hunter O’Riley at 5 to 1 or higher.

Exacta: Box Soglio, Canessar and Hunter O’Riley

If you didn’t play the Pick 4 starting in race 9, you can play the pick 3 starting here as follows:

Race 10 – Soglio, Canessar, Hunter O’Riley

Race 11 – Yoshida, Aerolithe, Next Shares, Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

Race 12 – City of Light, Accelerate, Tom’s d’Etat

At the $0.50 minimum level, if all horses above run, the cost of the ticket is $22.50

Optional Double:

Race 10 – Soglio, Canessar, Hunter O’Riley

Race 11 – Yoshida, Aerolithe, Next Shares, Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

Pegasus World Cup Turf – Race 11 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 4:51 PM Eastern

Bricks and Mortar got the cobwebs out when returning from 14 months off on 12/22 and rallying from sixth of 10 early to win. The effort not only earned him a career best 116 Equibase figure but that figure, the third best last race figure in the field by just a few points, is bound to be improved upon in the horse’s second start after the long layoff. Brown is adept at so many things, but better still is 14 for 35 (40%) the past few years when his horses have a bullet work with 14 days going into a graded stakes, and his starters are 6 for 19 (33%) when going from an allowance win into a graded stakes. Ortiz rides back and the son of Giants Causeway put in a big workout on the Palm Meadows turf coming into the race to signal his top form.

Catapult is the other main win contender in my opinion, with a 5 for 15 record on grass and four straight “A” efforts coming into this race, three in graded stakes. He won the 9 furlong Eddie Read last summer with a 120 figure then missed by a half-length in the Breeders’ Cup Mile with a 121 figure before the near three month layoff he returns from here so all signs are that he can easily run well enough to win.

Although on pick 3, pick 4 and double tickets started in earlier races we went five deep here, I’m using the other three on exacta tickets only in this race itself. Those three are Next Shares, Aerolithe and Yoshida. NONE have big knocks and are proven Grade 1 or Group 1 winners so must be respected.

Bets: Bricks and Mortar and Catapult to win at odds of 5 to 2 or more.

Note: When making multiple win bets, use a “Dutching” tool to do the work of allocating your wagering dollars for the best edge. Amwager has a great dutching tool available, among many other great features.

Exactas: Bricks and Mortar over ALL, then a reverse of that exacta for just the minimum $1.

Catapult over ALL, then the reverse of that exacta

Doubles (all for the minimum $1)

Race 11 – ALL 

Race 12 – Tom’s d’Etat

Race 11 – Yoshida, Aerolithe, Next Shares, Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

Race 12 – Tom’s d’Etat

Race 11 –Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

Race 12 – ALL

Race 11 –Bricks and Mortar, Catapult

Race 12 – City of Light, Accelerate, Tom’s d’Etat

Pegasus World Cup Invitational – Race 12 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 5:36 Eastern

In handicapping this race, I started by eliminating (as win contenders) a trio of horses who don’t appear to have much probability to win – Kukulkan (MEX), Imperative and Something Awesome. Kukulkan (MEX), although undefeated, just isn’t fast enough to compete with the top contenders in the Pegasus. He earned a 105Equibase Speed Figure in the Caribbean Classic Handicap last month, whereas the top horses have consistently earned 115 or better figures. Imperative has not won a race since capturing the Charles Town Classic in April of 2017 and has been uncompetitive in top company during that time. Something Awesome won the Charles Town Classic last April with a 118 figure but I view that as a fluke as his other two best efforts in the past year earned 105 and 106 figures.

Next, there’s the issue of the mile and one eighth trip. Patternrecognition earned a career-best 115 figure winning the Cigar Mile Handicap last month but is trying two-turns for the first time in his 12th career start. STATS Race Lens statistics on his sire Adios Charlie paint a dim picture of Patternrecognition having the ability to run that well at this distance because over the last five years the sire’s progeny have run 220 route races and only nine of those starts have been at nine furlongs. Furthermore, the only winning horse at the distance earned that win at Camarero Race Track in Puerto Rico. Additionally, Patternrecognition earned his last three wins leading from start to finish and from the extreme outside 12 post  he would be forced to use a good deal of early energy to get the lead he needs to succeed. True Timber is winless in five tries around two-turns in his career. He is bred to succeed at the distance but has yet to prove it. However, unlike Patternrecognition, True Timber could be in a mid-pack position in the early stages and could be part of the exacta or trifecta, particularly as he’s coming into the race off a career-best 113 figure earned when second in the Cigar Mile.

Now it’s onto the three horses I think can win this year’s Pegasus World Cup Invitational. Of the three, Tom’s d’Etat interests me the most as he is very likely to be a longshot. Tossing out his debut in May 2016 on turf, Tom’s d’Etat has done little wrong, winning six of eight races. He won three of four in 2017, culminating with a nine length win at the nine furlong Pegasus trip in the summer of 2017, earning a then career-best 117 Equibase Figure in the process.  That figure is on par with nearly every one of the best figures earned by City of Light and Accelerate. Away from the races for 15 months, last November Tom’s d’Etat picked up where he had left off with a seven length win and 112 figure, improving to a 119 figure last month when easily winning the Tenacious Stakes. The pattern for improvement in his third start off the layoff is unmistakable and as he has a two-for-two record at the distance, there are many reasons to think Tom’s d’Etat can post the upset win in this year’s Pegasus. For good measure, there is perhaps one more thing going for this horse as he is owned by Gayle Benson’s GMB Racing. The horse is named after the late Tom Benson, who (along with his wife Gayle) was the owner of the New Orleans Saints. Considering what transpired last weekend on the field, it would be fitting for Tom’s d’Etat to succeed in this race.

City of Light is the only reason Accelerate did not have an unblemished seven-for-seven record last year. City of Light had won the Malibu Stakes and Triple Bend Stakes prior to beating Accelerate by a neck in the Oaklawn Handicap last April. Then after two defeats, he finished off his four year old campaign with a powerful two and three-quarter length win in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, earning a career-best 126 figure.  That figure is not only the best last race figure in the field but also the best figure earned by any horse in the field, ever. Pointing for this race since resuming training in December, City of Light was working phenomenally at trainer McCarthy’s home base at Santa Anita but shipped into Gulfstream for a workout on January 19 which can’t be described as anything short of extraordinary as the horse worked a half-mile in 47.2 which was the best of 104 workouts at the distance on the day. Having shown versatility when earning two of his three wins last year from off the pace then dominating from start to finish in the Dirt Mile, City of Light should once again be very tough to beat particularly as the win against Accelerate last year was his only previous effort at this mile and one-eighth distance.

Accelerate held top form last year from February through November, which is no easy task. He has three wins at this distance and his only defeat was when second to City of Light last April. Although Accelerate only earned a 115 figure winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic, he earned a 120 figure in the Gold Cup at Santa Anita in May and followed that up with a 122 figure effort winning the Pacific Classic in August by a stunning 12 lengths. As such, there can be little doubt Accelerate has the ability to run well enough to win this year’s Pegasus. I do have one concern though and that is he does not have an official workout over the track compared to City of Light. On the other hand, Tom’s d’Etat doesn’t have a workout over the track either and one of the things which make a top athlete so good is the ability to adapt to different situations. As such, Accelerate must be strongly respected as a contender to win the Pegasus.

For consideration on exacta tickets, Bravazo, Seeking the Gold, True Timber and Gunnevera fit the bill. Bravazo rallied for second in the Clark Handicap at the distance when last seen two months ago and could be passing a few of these late for the same result. Seeking the Gold rallied for second in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last fall and gets the same comment as Bravazo. True Timber was second to Patternrecognition in the Cigar Mile and with Patternrecognition appearing unlikely to run this far and with a potential pace problem from his outside post, True Timber can possibly run the same kind of race. Gunnevera is likely to be last or nearly so in the early stages as he usually is and as a one-paced horse will inevitably be passing many of the rest.

Bets: Tom’s d’Etat to win and place at 5 to 1 or more.

Exactas: City of Light, Accelerate and Tom’s d’Etat over City of Light, Accelerate, Tom’s d’Etat, Bravazo, Seeking the Soul, True Timber and Gunnevera.

Trifecta: City of Light, Accelerate and Tom’s d’Etat over City of Light, Accelerate, Tom’s d’Etat, Bravazo, Seeking the Soul, True Timber and Gunnevera over City of Light, Accelerate, Tom’s d’Etat, Bravazo, Seeking the Soul, True Timber and Gunnevera.

The cost of the trifecta above at the $0.50 level is $45.