Happy New Year! After taking a week off with no U.S. tracks running on Christmas Day last Saturday, Team Tuley is back to look for value at tracks from coast to coast.
We also want to wish Happy Birthday to all racehorses as they all share a universal birthday on Jan. 1 as 2-year-olds turn 3, 3-year-old turn 4 and so on. My friend Ed Sehon (aka Mr. Ed from his “Saratoga on (about) $100 a Day” columns last summer) and I offers some plays from Gulfstream while Sehon and Rampart race and sports book manager Duane Colucci give differing opinions on the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn and Colucci also has a Pick 4 at Aqueduct.
Good luck today (and every day)!
SATURDAY
Gulfstream Race No. 4 (1:29 p.m. ET/10:29 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #5 Jumeirah (7-2 morning line). “Well-traveled, tested 3-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy returns after ambitious sophomore campaign. Solid conditioner David Carlos gains riding services of journeyman Paco Lopez and adds blinkers as he stretches filly out in the $100,000 Cash Run Stakes at a mile. Wager: Win.”
Gulfstream Race No. 6 (2:31 p.m. ET/11:31 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #7 Lucky as a Seven (7-2 morning line). “Grandson of super-sire Storm Cat adds blinkers for trainer Juan Avila in second consecutive synthetic surface sprint. Excellent Sunshine State jockey Emisael Jaramillo picks up mount. Gelding wears lucky #7 saddle cloth for first time. Sounds like a winning highball. Wager: Win and Place.”
Aqueduct Races Nos. 6-9 (2:48 p.m. ET/11:48 a.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes the following $.50 Pick 4 (cost $54)
Race 6: 1,2,3,4,8,9
Race 7: 1,6,7
Race 8: 1,3
Race 9: 1,2,4
Gulfstream Race No. 7 (3:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #2 O Captain (6-1 morning line). “This Gustavo Delgado trainee makes his 3-year-old debut in the $100,000 Limehouse Stakes. He romped by more than 9 lengths in his only career start and should be the speed of the speed in this 6-furlong sprint and jockey Javier Castellano hits at 23 percent with these early-speed types. Wager: Win.”
Gulfstream Races Nos. 8-11 (3:37 p.m. ET/12:37 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes the following $0.50 Pick 4 (cost $60)
Race 8: 5,6
Race 9: 1,2,5,6,8
Race 10: 2,3,5,6
Race 11: 3,5,7
Duane Colucci likes the following $.50 Pick 4 (cost $72)
Race 8: 2,3,4,5,6,10
Race 9: 5,8
Race 10: 2,3,5,6
Race 11: 3,4,6
Gulfstream Race No. 9 (4:11 p.m. ET/1:11 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #6 No Nay Franklin (10-1 morning line). “I don’t usually like to bet maidens vs. winners, but I feel we’re getting enough value at 10-1 to play this Patrick Biancone trainee in the $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes. No Nay Franklin should be able to sit off the pace and run down the pace-setters in the stretch. Wager: Win and Place.”
Oaklawn Races Nos. 7-10 (4:19 p.m. ET/1:19 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes the following $.50 Pick 4 (cost $60)
Race 7: 1,4,5,6,8,10
Race 8: 2,6,10,11,12
Race 9: 1.9
Race 10: 1,12
Oaklawn Race No. 9 (5:13 p.m. ET/2:13 p.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes #3 Home Brew (3-1 morning line) in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes. “These 3-year-old hit the 2022 Kentucky Derby trail in the Smarty Jones Stakes at a mile on the dirt. I trust first-class connections of trainer Brad Cox, jockey Florent Geroux and owners Gary and Mary West, who have been down this Road to the Roses before, to sip some Home Brew in Winner’s Circle. Wager: Win.”
Duane Colucci likes #9 Don’tcrossthedevil (10-1 morning line). “Trainer Philip D’Amato takes over this multiple winner and retains jockey Lane Luzzi. D’Amato slowed this colt after the sharp Dec. 12 work. Distance is not a problem. Ready for top-notch effort. Bet 9 to Win and key 9 over 1,3,4 in exacts and trifectas and reverse.”
Note: also check out our A.I. Pick of the Week at vsin.com/horses as we’ve gone 19-for-38 since taking over the feature. There are also more plays from 1ST/BET handicappers on that page at vsin.com/horses.