Mr. Ed’s Pegasus horse racing Best Bets
Saturday’s Pegasus card at Gulfstream Park is a mid-winter wonderland of thoroughbred racing from summer-like South Florida – seven premiere stakes and a heavyweight handicap all rolled into one extraordinary day of challenging horseplaying.
The multi-million-dollar stakes sequence, beginning in Race 6, offers everything from a 7-furlong dirt sprint to a pair of 1 1/2-mile turf marathons, utilizing each of Gulfstream’s three racing surfaces. The card climaxes with the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational, spotlighting a deep field of a dozen veteran older horses.
First post for Saturday’s 13-race program is 10:50 a.m. ET/7:50 a.m. PT, with the featured Pegasus Cup loading in the gate at 5:40 p.m. ET/2:40 p.m. PT. Weather forecast: Unsettled skies with temperature in the 70s. What’s not to like?
The following are VSiN handicapper Mr. Ed’s BEST STAKES PLAYS OF THE DAY:
Race 6 (1:19 p.m. ET/10:19 a.m. PT)
Grade 3, $150,000 La Prevoyante Stakes
Mr. Ed likes a trio of chalky gals in this turf marathon: #2 Personal Best (7-2 morning line), #5 Adventuring (7-5) and #6 Transient (4-1). These three tower over the others. Wager: Big Exacta Box of 2,5,6.
Race 7 (1:50 p.m. ET/10:50 a.m. PT)
$100,000 Handicap over the Tapeta course
Mr. Ed will take a shot with outsider #10 Steady On (8-1 morning line) for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and regular top pilot Irad Ortiz Jr. Lightly raced son of Pioneerof the Nile, super-consistent colt tries synthetic surface for first time. You can call me steady Eddie. Wager: Win, Place and Show.
Race 8 (2:27 p.m. ET/11:27 a.m. PT)
Grade 2, $200,000 Inside Information Stakes
Mr. Ed likes standout #4 Obligatory (7-5 morning line). This gal’s got grit having banked more than $1.3 million vs. much tougher company than here. She’s 2-for-2 in Gulfstream sprints. Jose Ortiz stays aboard for exceptional trainer Bill Mott. I’m obliged to back her. Wager: Win.
Race 9 (3:01 p.m. ET/12:01 p.m. PT)
Grade 3, $200.000 William L. McKnight Stakes
Mr. Ed likes these three in turf marathon on grass: #3 Pao Alto (8-1 morning line) with significant rider upgrade to Franie Dettori; #6 Temple (9-2), the perfect horse-for-horse play; and #11 Red Knight (9-2), picking up services of Irad Ortiz Jr. Say Good McKnight, Knight. Wager: Exacta and Trifecta Boxes of 3,6,11.
Race 10 (3:34 p.m. ET/12:34 p.m. PT)
Grade 3, $150,000 Fred W. Hooper Stakes
Mr. Ed likes #11 Dean Delivers (10-1 morning line). Every now and then an avowed chalk player like yours truly needs to step outside his comfort zone and take a moon shot. This 4-year-old horse-for-course steps up and stretches out for trainer Michael Yates. I’m looking for this dean to deliver. Wager: Win and Place on 11 and Exacta Boxes of 11/1,9,12.
Races 10-13 (3:34 p.m. ET/12:34 p.m. PT)
Mr. Ed likes a $0.50 Pick 4 (cost $90)
Race 10: 1,9,11,12
Race 11: 2,3,9
Race 12: 4,6,9,10,12
Race 13: 1,5,10
Race 11 (4:06 p.m. ET/1:06 p.m. PT)
Grade 3, $500,000 TAA Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf
Mr. Ed returns to his comfort zone with #2 Dalika (5-2 morning line). When favorite trainer Al Stall Jr. sees an opportunity for success, he seizes it. This gal is ready, willing and more than able to score here. Wager: Win.
Race 12 (4:40 p.m. ET/1:40 p.m. PT)
Grade 1, $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational
Mr. Ed favors favorite #10 Ivar (5-2 morning like), but feels need to spread in mile-and-a-half marathon on grass. Trainer Paulo Lobo is hot. Jock Javier Castellano is more than capable. Wager: 10 to Win, and bet Exacta Boxes with 4,6,9,12.
Race 13 (5:40 p.m. ET/2:40 p.m. PT)
Grade 1, $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational
Mr. Ed is a big Bob Baffert booster – so, #5 Defunded (6-1 morning line) is his choice. While this West Coast-based guy hasn’t faced this level of competition, I think he’s ready to step up, following a string of seriously fast works at Santa Anita before heading East. Winner of his last two, top conditioner Baffert attracts nation’s top rider Irad Ortiz Jr. Wager: Win and Place, plus Exacta and Trifecta Boxes of 1,5,10.