We know pro football is on most bettors’ minds this weekend, but there’s no NFL games on Saturday, so we have plenty of time to look at the horse racing menu, especially the Pegasus card at Gulfstream Park.
I’m joined by my handicapping friends – Ed Sehon (aka Mr. Ed from his “Mr Ed’s Saratoga on (about) $100 a Day” feature from last summer), Rampart race and sports book manager Duane Colucci and John Lauro – as we look for value at tracks from coast to coast.
Good luck today (and every day).
SATURDAY
Gulfstream Races Nos. 2-5 (11:59 a.m. ET/8:59 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes the following $.50 Pick 4 (cost $80)
Race 2: 1,6,9,10
Race 3: 1,5,7,10,11
Race 4: 2,6,9,11
Race 5: 4,6
Gulfstream Race No. 6 (1:57 p.m. ET/10:57 a.m. PT)
Ed Sehon likes the three-horse exacta box of #1 Mischief Afoot (6-1 morning line), #4 Frosted Over (3-1) and #7 Telephone Talker (4-1). “Toss a blanket over all three and bet with confidence. Wager: Exacta box of 1,4 and 7.”
Gulfstream Race No. 7 (2:31 p.m. ET/11:31 a.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes #3 Farmington Road (15-1 morning line) in the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight Stakes. “Former Pletcher runner has nice turf experience including a nice run at Santa Anita vs. Smooth Like Straight, a top graded competitor. George Arnold takes over with a steady workout regime. Arnold has a $3.03 ROI with turf runners and $3.33 ROI in graded stakes. Bet 3 to Win and key 3 over 1,9 and 10 in exactas, trifectas and reverse.”
Gulfstream Race No. 8 (3:03 p.m. ET/12:03 p.m. PT).
Ed Sehon likes #2 A G Indy (6-1 morning line) in the Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes. “Winner of three of last four, super sharp mare comes East and joins Todd Pletcher barn. Steadily improving speed figures, solid work pattern, stretch out, move to dirt and addition of Luis Saez point to front-running score. Wager: Win and Place.”
John Lauro likes #6 Pacific Gale (8-1 morning line). “Best bet of the day. Pacific Gale is first off the bench for trainer John Kimmel. Defending champion of this race last year and getting 8-1.”
Gulfstream Race Nos. 9-12 (3:36 p.m. ET/12:36 p.m. PT).
Ed Sehon likes the following $.50 Pick 4 (cost $56)
Race 9: 2,4,7,9
Race 10: 1,8
Race 11: 4,5,6,7,8,10,12
Race 12: 1,4
Duane Colucci likes the following late $.50 Pick 4 (cost $80)
Race 9: 1,4,7,8
Race 10: 1,6,8,9
Race 11: 2,6,8,11,12
Race 12: 1,4
Gulfstream Race No. 9 (3:36 p.m. ET/12:36 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #9 Shifty She (6-1 morning line) in the Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes. “There’s several fillies and mares with early speed in this race, but Shifty She should be the sneaky speed of the speed to steal this. Saffie Joseph Jr. knows how to place his trainees, especially with beaten favorites at 32 percent, and that’s why we’re getting a fair price. Saffie has also already used jockey Edwin Gonzalez twice on winners this season. Wager: Win and Place.”
Oaklawn Races Nos. 8-11 (4:42 p.m. ET/1:42 p.m. PT)
Duane Colucci likes the following late $.50 Pick 4 (cost $60)
Race 8: 1,2,4,7,8,9
Race 9: 2,3,6,8,10
Race 10: 1,7,8,9
Race 11: 1
Gulfstream Race No. 11 (4:49 p.m. ET/1:49 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #10 Channel Cat (12-1 morning line) in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes. “Most handicappers are looking for a closer in this mile-and-an-eighth race on the turf, but if jockey Joel Rosario is able to get Channel Cat to relax on a comfortable lead, they could steal this. Channel Cat should be able to set the pace and trainer Jack Sisterson is hitting at 19 percent when taking blinkers off. Wager: Win and Place.”
Gulfstream Race No. 12 (5:34 p.m. ET/2:34 p.m. PT)
Dave Tuley likes #6 Sir Winston (12-1 morning line) in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes. “It seems everyone is afraid to bet against #1 Knicks Go Wager or #4 Life Is Good, but I’ll take a flyer on Sir Winston who should be able to sit behind the blistering pace set by the two top contenders and get first run on the other contenders heading into the stretch. Trainer Mark Casse ships in from Woodbine (he’s hit at 16 percent with his last 1,200 shippers), so he knows what to do to get his charges ready. He also turns to jockey Edwin Gonzalez, who he has combined with to hit at 26 percent. Wager: Win and Place.”
Note: also check out our A.I. Pick of the Week at vsin.com/horses as we’ve gone 22-for-42 (better than 50 percent) since taking over the feature. There are also more plays from 1ST/BET handicappers on that page at vsin.com/horses.