Gulfstream Park Championship Season: Gulfstream 2025-26: Week 8

January 15-18

The weekend started with an arctic blast as we woke up on Friday to the mid-40's, it was wonderful! I sat on the porch until my fingers were so cold I couldn't type any more :) It was an enjoyable week as my family had arrived early Wednesday afternoon and stayed until Monday evening. The week in racing was the best of the winter so far, and the social media interactions among the best in a while as well. Just overall, a great week.

Thursday's card was typical of the way the "new Gulfstream" has played out. A ten race card and not only did I find just three races worth wagering on, but in FOUR of them there wasn't even a single runner I could mention as one that was the least bit interesting. After passing the first race I ran 2nd at 7/5 odds with Herbstreit - ironic as the real person, Kirk Herbstreit was calling the national championship game on Monday. The second was a one-turn mile for an open claiming tag of $12.5K, a true "blue collar" kind of race. The Prince's Spur was my pick despite the 7yo not having been seen since September 2024. As I noted, betting these kind, at this level is probably NOT a long-term profitable move, but if you "know" which ones to bet and which ones to avoid they can be strong plays. That trainer Rohan Crichton had paid $50K to claim him and had kept him in training for more than a year was telling to me. And that top jockey Irad Ortiz took the mount, sealed the deal. Stalked the pace while on the outside in the clear. Seized control at the furlong marker and drew clear.

Passed the 4th, 5th, and 6th without mentioning a single runner before Senza Parole showed up in the line-up for the 7th, a conditional allowance going a one-turn mile. I noted that the horse was a deserving short-priced favorite but that caution was advised because trainer Chad Brown has seemingly used the Gulfstream winter meet as a tune-up for Keeneland and his horses have NOT lived up to their short priced odds. But I was willing to see how this winter would play out so I doubled the wager. Tracked the leaders into the turn, took off and drew away at 4/5, which was a bigger price than I'd anticipated.

If I thought Thursday was a weak card, Friday set a new all-time low with EIGHT of the ten races "earning brief recaps that all said, "no one is worthy." In the 4th, a non-winners of two sprint for $25K saw Rocketeer "good enough" for a minimum play. Dropping a notch for leading trainer Saffie Joseph with Tyler Gaffalione on board. Right to the front and never looked back.

Saturday, with the family in town meant I'd be playing the races from the "Sunrise Simulcast Center" at home. The highlight racing for the day came from New Orleans where it was "Road To The Derby Day" with the first set of Derby & Oaks preps on the Louisiana trail, along with four other supporting stakes races. And in Southern California it was their "Sunshine Millions" day of sorts - at least the way it has evolved over recent years. In addition to playing these two and Gulfstream's races, racing at Laurel in Maryland included a few stakes events so I handicapped that card as well. My sheet showed races from a little after noon until nearly 7pm. But with the way the quality of racing has evolved of late, I didn't have a live bet until nearly 2pm. Seven of the first nine races were a "PASS" and then the first two wagering selections both scratched! WOW. Finally got into the action with the fifth at Laurel and I was completely outrun....not a good start. The third at the Fair Grounds was a maiden special for three-year-olds going a mile and a sixteenth. As I noted, at this time of the year you have to think that many of the connections have "Derby Dreams" and hope that their 3yo can flash the talent to take them on that path. That Todd Pletcher shipped Jackson Hole from his Gulfstream base gave me this feeling. And, the fact that the configuration here in the Crescent City had a full stretch at this distance had to have played into his decision. Was 1/5 as the field approached the gate but thanks to the "value bettors" their "I'm not taking a short price" logic allowed him to float all the way up to 4/5 at post time. Right to the front and never threatened!

Twenty minutes later they were loading into the gate on the turf at Gulfstream. Miguel Clement was sending out Congressional for his debut. Multiple bullet works and a big 23% win rate with debut runners led me here. Five wide into the lane, gaining......UP IN TIME at a generous $9.80 payout.

The sixth at Laurel was loading into the gate as Congressional crossed the line a nose in front. This Maryland stakes, The Geisha was my best of the day with Takethemoneyhoney looking to be an odds on winner. She boasted a 7/5-2-0 record and her LAST FIVE Beyers beat 160 of the combined 161 lifetime figures earned by her rivals....the last four beat them all. Right to the front, never took a deep breath....didn't care that I only made $2 :)

Made it five straight wins when Classic Time edged clear through the final furlong at the Fair Grounds and then took down the money in Laurel's next stakes as Quint's Brew missed the break but was good enough to come flying late to be just up in time in a tight photo finish. Ohhhh, I'm having a very good day my friends.

Back to reality as I failed to even hit the board in four straight over the next hour. But got back into winner's circle in the eighth at Gulfstream. As I said, everyone I'm sure saw what I saw, that last out 103 massive Beyer when Time To Win scored. More than a bounce I was concerned that it was a Chad Brown runner, and as I'd mentioned with Senza Parole on Thursday, was he prepping this winter for Keeneland, or were his runners live? Well, Senza Parole ran to her DRF form, so I was onboard for a double investment. Pounded to 3/5 odds she bobbled at the break - so characteristic of MY picks - rallied six wide and there were anxious moments, but up in the final strides.

After missing in the at 6/1 in the first stakes at the Fair Grounds it was time for the first of the Cal Cup/Sunshine Stakes out west. I liked Big City Lights in the Cal Cup Sprint, but he scratched. I'd had my questions about Man O Roses, especially facing my first choice, but without that one in the line-up he looked pretty formidable. Because I'd had my doubts earlier I was good with a double investment. Broke on top and had the look of a graded stakes winner as he toyed with this group of listed foes to draw off by a pole and change as a very short priced winner, my seventh on the day.

It was nearly an hour until the next ticket I cashed, but I also only had one bet in that time span. The co-featured Sunshine Sprint featured last out Grade 3 winner Damon's Mound for the Bill Mott barn. On paper, facing this group of listed rivals should be little more than a public workout, but if you were a "value" bettor looking for an alternative, you'd focus on the fact that he'd not been out since that win at the beginning of November. But, I've seen Mott operate for years and there are few, if any trainers better for pointing for a race and having a horse ready to roll. Because of the anticipated short price and the layoff I was only in it for the statistical win.....right to the front and took pressure all the way to the top of the lane. To an untrained eye you might have thought he would have little left for the stretch drive. But having seen "a few" races in my life (more than 35,000 since I began keeping records!) I could tell that the rider had PLENTY of horse under him. A flick of the wrists at the top of the stretch ad that was that.

Three of the next four selections were in stakes and I scored in all three. Medoro hit the front at the 16th pole and edged clear under confident handling in the Marie G. Krantz at the Fair Grounds. Vodka Vodka pressed the longshot leader to the top of the lane, spurted clear and held the late runners safe to take the Unusual Heat Turf at Santa Anita. And in a solid price play, Taken By The Wind held off the challengers determinedly to win the Silverbulletday and stamp herself an Oaks candidate with a $10.80 win in that 3yo filly route race.

Closed the day winning just one of the final four races when Cee Drew was JUST up in time to win the Cal Cup Oaks. It capped a superb day going 12-for-23 with over $50 in profits. And in the text messages I got this morning (see below), it was a super good day.

Like so many other weekends after a big Saturday I had to wonder if I'd hold my own on Sunday, give most the money back, or continue my winning ways. It was the latter. Tut's Revenge gutted out the win in the fourth and then I had tripled the bet on Expensive Queen in the 8th. The off-the-turf event was a question mark but like is typical for me, that the trainer left him in when it was moved to the all weather made me comfortable to hold on to the bet. He blew by in the stretch at a big $11.40 pay out and I cashed for over $85 on the bet.

Week's Totals: 33 / 17 – 2 – 1

-$310 / +$414.50

Social Media this week......
Former Mickonomics student Jen frequently posts photos of her young girls and it's so clear to me that they have their Mom's bright eyes and smile. So when she posted a pic late in the week I commented to that fact. Got the proverbial "heart" like :)

It's funny, and everyone can relate here, there are just some people in the world that when you have contact with them, you smile. Kimmy is that person for me. After sharing with her that she was an inspiration for my fictional story I'd not heard from her. And I'd reached out a couple times. That's not unusual, I mean she's a working girl, got two little ones, and a husband. So when we were all sitting on the porch in the middle of a phone conversation with my youngest son Brad, and my phone lit up, the "Kimmy" at the top of the text caught my attention. Always a big plus to have contact, but that SHE reached out to me....that was what led to the big smile. As I read her text and then we went back and forth that feeling you get when you connect with a special friend grew within. She explained she'd been "dark" because they were fighting the flu in her house, and then not only did she assure me that they wanted me to visit, but she also told me that she would make it a point to be able to connect with me the next time she had business in So Fla. She's one special girl, and a great friend that I have leaned on many times when I need reassurance or someone to talk to outside of my wife.