Weekend horse racing handicapper best bets from Mike Somich
With Del Mar closing last week, the West Coast racing season heads to Los Alamitos for a quick breather before heading back to Santa Anita for a monster card on opening day. Oaklawn opened on Friday and kicked off their season. It can be a very fun track to play with consistent, large fields that tend to produce prices. They offer two pick fives, one early and one late, that are worth taking a flyer on if you like a couple of prices.
Wait A While Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Race #6
The first of two stakes on the card will go 7.5 furlongs on the turf for 2-year-old fillies. #7 Ozara will break from the gate as the favorite for Christophe Clement after just missing at the same level up in New York last time out. She has some tactical speed which will help in a field that does not possess a ton of early pace. Ozara has faced the toughest fields to date and gets the services of top jock Ortiz; she is a solid favorite.
Right to her inside, #6 Milliat will debut in the US for trainer Jack Sisterson after beating a field of 12 in Europe. She was forwardly placed in that race which is a positive when heading to the US and imperative at Gulfstream. Luiz Seaz takes the mount, he will be aggressive with her and the price is right at 8-1.
#1 Cairo Street broke her maiden last time out at Keeneland in a solid race. She has shown speed in every start and, with the quick run into the turn, should get a good stalking trip while saving ground every step of the way. You get a massive upgrade in the irons as well with John Velazquez taking the mount.
#5 Great Venezuela will try the turf for the first time after running her first three career races on synthetic. Her best chance is to go right to the lead and take this field gate to wire. If she can clear the 2 without expending too much energy, then watch out.
Picks: 6-7-1-5
Bets:
$20 Exacta 6, 7/ 6, 7
$20 Trifecta 6, 7 / 6, 7 / 1
Pulpit Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Race #11
The brother of the Wait A While, the Pulpit will feature #8 Noted for trainer Todd Pletcher who ran well enough in the Grade 2 Bourbon at Keeneland on the turf to try to send him to the Breeders’ Cup. That being said, I am going to fade him here. He is going to get bet off the board and had a dream trip in the Bourbon which was a longer race.
#3 Double Your Money is also coming out of the Bourbon but set the pace in that race from the 11 of 12 post. He was hung wide all on both turns and faded late. He draws much better and has a chance to control the speed in a race that does not feature another speed horse. At 6-1, I am willing to take a shot at him taking this field wire to wire.
To his inside, #2 Liam’s Journey comes into this stakes race without a win but has run well in all three turf starts and is on the improve. He was planning on running in the Breeders’ Cup but scratched out on race day. The connections love this horse, and with the two post, he should get a good ground-saving trip in here.
#5 Palm Tree also exits the Bourbon and never got a chance to run. He was stuck on the inside, and when he did sprint free, he was immediately cut off. With a better trip, he is very live.
#1 Prevent is the other possible speed in this spot but has not run on the turf yet. He stretched out well on the synthetic last time out, but the slow pace aided that performance. At a price, he’s a threat underneath.
Picks: 3-2-5-1
Bets:
$25 Win #3
$5 Trifecta – 2,3 / 2,3,5 / 2,3,5
Spot plays:
Oaklawn, Race #2 – $25 Win – #2
Gulfstream, Race #9 – $20 Exacta 7 / 2,5
