Horse racing Best Bets for Saturday
Football season is behind us (well, except for those jumping in on the XFL with us), but Team Tuley continues to look for value at horse racing tracks from coast to coast in addition to most other sports in action (primarily basketball at this time as we head toward March Madness).
Last Saturday, Ed Sehon led the way for our group with a winner on Litigate ($7.60 to Win) in the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs and Charlie T. ($5.20 to Place, $3.40 to Show) as the rest of our picks mostly blanked.
This Saturday, we’re joined by Sehon as well as Rampart race and sports manager Duane Colucci as we have plays at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida, Fair Grounds in Louisiana and Santa Anita in California as we live up to our promise of having picks from coast to coast.
Good luck today (and every day)!
Gulfstream Park Race No. 8 (3:38 p.m. ET/12:38 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a trio of sophomore turfers: #2 Fayette Spirit (5-1 morning line) for surprisingly cool Chad Brown and Edgar Zayas; #5 Coast Along (5-1) for solid McGaughey-Castellano combo; and #11 King d’Oro (5-2) Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr. Wager: Box the three in Exactas and Trifectas. Added bonus: Bet the trio in Daily Doubles with #4 Cashier Check (4-1) in Race No. 9.
Gulfstream Park Race No. 9 (4:08 p.m.ET/1:08 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #4 Cashier Check (4-1 morning line). “This guy is my Best Bet. Grandson of Pioneerof the Nile loves Gulfstream, having compiled a 9-2-4-2 record over the synthetic tropical oval. Today he faces a mixed bag of old-time claimers on Tapeda surface. Underrated Edgar Zayas is just the jock to get the job done. After all, at VSIN cashing checks is what it’s all about! Wager: Win.”
Tampa Bay Race No. 8 (4:17 p.m. ET/1:17 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #7 The Elle Train (10-1 morning line) in the $100,000 Lightning City Stakes. “This undefeated, lightly raced filly makes her 4-year-old debut after coming over from the Christophe Clement stable. She steps up in class but fits here and should be able to sit off the pace and take on the leaders down the stretch at a fair price. Wager: Win and Place.”
Fair Grounds Race No. 8 (4:33 p.m. ET/1:33 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #6 Banishing (5-2 morning line). “This might just be the one to deliver victory No. 10,000 to all-time winningest trainer Steve Asmussen. Making his third start on the Triple Crown trail, well-bred son of Ghostzapper exploded down the lane to break his maiden in last. Rested and ready to repeat that effort, jockey upgrade to Tyler Gaffalione only adds to appeal. Sophomore banishes field from the get-go. Wager: Win and box in Exactas and Trifectas with 4,5,8.”
Fair Grounds Race No. 9 (5:05 p.m.ET/2:05 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #9 Evan Sing (5-1 morning line) in the $100,000 Colonel Power Stakes. “Turf sprint stakes loaded with speed, so all this guy needs to do is break sharply and wait for others to back up. Jockey Flavien Prat is in from the West Coast base and accepts mount from favorite trainer Al Stall, Jr.. If Evan can only get out of the gate, he’ll be singing in the winner’s circle for me — and you, if you bet him to Win.”
Fair Grounds Races Nos. 9-13 (5:05 p.m. ET/2:05 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes a $.50 Pick 5 (cost $90)
Race 9: 3,7,9
Race 10: 1,2,5,6
Race 11: 1,2,8
Race 12: 2
Race 13: 5,8,10,12,13
Gulfstream Race No. 11 (5:06 p.m.ET/2:06 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #5 Classy Edition (3-2 morning line) in the Grade 3, $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes. “Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr. hitting $2.17 ROI for such a high-powered combo! Has to beat Javier Castellano and Shug McGaughey on #2 Kathleen O. Bet 5 to Win and one-way Trifectas 5 over 2,3,7.”
Tampa Bay Race No. 10 (5:20 p.m. ET/2:20 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes two in $100,000 Turf Dash Stakes, starting with #13 Oil Money (6-1 morning line). “Oil Money is on the also-eligible list, so he needs to draw in, but if he does he’s live despite the outside post. If he doesn’t get in, that improves the chances for #8 County Final (6-1) with underrated jockey Pablo Morales picking up the mount for Saffie Joseph Jr. If both go, we’ll box 8,13 in Exactas.”
Update after early scratches: #13 Oil Money didn't get into the field, so let's just make it a Win bet on #8 County Final.
Fair Grounds Races Nos. 10-13 (5:37 p.m. ET/2:37 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes a $.50 Pick 4 (cost $90)
Race 10: 1,6,7,8
Race 11: 2,4,6
Race 12: 1,4,6
Race 13: 4,5,6,8,12
Fair Grounds Race No. 12 (6:41 p.m. ET/3:41 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #1 Vahva (8-1 morning line) in the Grade 2, $300,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes. “Trainer Cherie DeVaux has this horse in excellent shape after stumbling as the favorite last time. Working solid and jockey Luis Saez knows what to do. Bet 1 to Win and key over 4,6 in Exactas and Trifectas.”
Fair Grounds Race No. 13 (7:14 p.m.ET/4:14 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #5 Harlocap (8-1 morning line) in the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star Stakes. “Bob Baffert-to-Steve Asmussen transfer here and had a spectacular workout on the 11th at Santa Anita. John Velazquez is here for the mount, so look out! #12 Crupi is the main threat, believe it or not. Maybe a maiden, but jockey James Graham and trainer Todd Pletcher have a sneaky chance. Bet 5 to Win, box 5,12 in Exacta and key 5 in Exactas and Trifectas over 4,6,12 and reverse.”
Santa Anita Race No. 9 (7:38 p.m. ET/4:38 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #7 Countess Rosina (6-1 morning line) in the $100,000 Wishing Well Stakes. “This 4-year-old filly has two of her three lifetime wins over this course and drops in class to this ungraded stakes race. Jockey Hector Berrios and trainer Jeff Mullins are hitting at 38% the last two months, plus Berrios was aboard for Countess Rosina’s win at Del Mar back in November and should be able to bide their time back in the pack before making a big, bold move down the stretch. Wager: Win and Place.”