Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mike Welsch handicaps the Saturday, January 24 racing card at Gulfstream Park, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 7.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Coppola (7th race)
Seventh Race
1. Coppola
2. Incanto
3. And Uwish
COPPOLA ran extremely well in the Janus despite missing some training time coming into the race and likely ready to move forward with that one under his belt over a strip he’s handled extremely well in the past. Irad stays and there are no Reef Runner’s in this lineup. Might not look back this time. INCANTO looms the main danger shipping cross country off a well graded allowance try at Del Mar. Missed a half length to Yellow Card during the summer, the latter coming off that race to finish 2nd behind Reef Runner in G2 Eddie D. AND UWISH a versatile sort who ran down preferred choice for 2nd money in the Janus and another very fond of the local strip.
Here are Mike’s thoughts on the other 12 races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card.
First Race
1. Maggie Go
2. La Cantera
3. Being Betty
Hoping the course remains firm for today’s big card. If MAGGIE GO runs back to her effort in the Eatontown in her U.S. bow they’ll all be running for second money in opener, if not this one becomes just about anybody’s race. LA CANTERA freaked to far and away her career best effort second off the claim and first back on turf since haltered by red hot Carlos David barn. Just a question of whether she can repeat or come close to repeating that try on four weeks rest. BEING BETTY a model of consistency of late short and long from figures standpoint and exits a solid effort in 2025 finale when fourth in a key race from which winner, third finisher came back to win their next starts. Figures forwardly placed throughout at a mile.
Second Race
1. Exquisite
2. Swing Vote
3. Majestic Moonlight
EXQUISITE one of many very promising looking first time starters in this lineup, gets tepid nod off last two drills. Was second best to very talented Code Review while showing big speed of her own from gate on 1/11, repeated that kind of effort when going solo a week later. Will likely have to beat the more experienced SWING VOTE who was arguably best at first asking after walking out of gate before recovering to turn in promising try in debut. MAJESTIC MOONLIGHT has been well prepared for her bow, her connections taking every precaution to have her ready out of the box by shipping down to get final work in over local strip. Affluenza another who has shown plenty of gas in the morning but did miss four weeks on the work tab before returning for a couple of solid drills earlier this month.
Third Race
1. Battle of Normandy
2. Risk Tolerance
3. Belouni
BATTLE OF NORMANDY has been away since running very credibly in the 2025 Pegasus Turf Invitational, beaten five lengths in a high quality field that produced four next out winners. Won last three starts at the allowance level and fits these conditions perfectly because of the date clause. Barn can surely have one ready for big effort off the bench. RISK TOLERANCE came back from a 14 month layoff in top form for Chad, looks to be sitting on another big one making third start of present form cycle. BELOUNI wanted no part of two miles last time, returns to more suitable spot here.
Fourth Race
1. Fantastic Flame
2. Leo Toro
3. Growth Trajectory
This one a total crap shoot on the Tapeta with any number of potential win candidates in this well-matched lineup. FANTASTIC FLAME taking a big step up in class off huge effort making two turn and Tapeta debut. Continues to train forwardly. May stand some catching again if not bouncing off that last try. LEO TORO a game winner of the Ginger Punch trying this surface for the first time late this summer and back in more suitable spot after being a bit over-matched back on grass for the Suwannee River. Likely to be stalking the top one from outset. GROWTH TRAJECTORY another lightly raced but improving young filly from the potent Brown stable, capable of fitting here with yet another forward move.
Fifth Race
1. No Show Sammy Jo
2. Fionn
3. Gallant Greta
NO SHOW SAMMY JO easily handled pretty much this same bunch in very impressive fashion in the Via Borghese while obviously taking readily to the local course. Hard to side against with a repeat of that effort. FIONN is a new face to the category while taking on older horses for the first time. Closed out her 3yo campaign on a major roll. Might prove the best threat to upset the preferred choice. GALLANT GRETA overcame slow start, very wide trip to be second best while no match for Sammy in their previous meeting.
Sixth Race
1. Horsepower
2. Private Thoughts
3. Bail Us Out
HORSEPOWER closed out his 2025 campaign in top form although without a win to show for his last four starts. Chased Cox’s 3/5 Encino start to finish in the Prairie Bayou and was beaten only a length by Major Dude two back in Artie Schiller. Not facing that kind in this spot. Should finally get back on winning track with a clean run in this spot. PRIVATE THOUGHTS an impressive winner in similarly conditioned Tapeta overnight handicap in 2025 finale, continues to maintain terrific form for over a year now. One to fear. BAIL US OUT checked to last early on, recovered to be second best in a good effort behind Private T. last time and another who appears to really relish the Tapeta strip.
Eighth Race
1. Nelson Avenue
2. Life and Times
3. Knightsbridge
NELSON AVENUE sure to offer a little value behind the two big favorites in this one but perhaps capable of proving major beneficiary if top pair get too frisky up front during early stages. Well posted to sit perfect stalking trip from outside post, exits huge try behind subsequent Cigar Mile winner Bishops Bay last out in the Forty Nine. Worked well for this in company with top caliber mate Jody’s Pride.LIFE AND TIMES getting a class test off two monstrous outings to open career and training lights out for his local bow. Rail draw the issue if main track still outside biased as it has been the past two weekends. KNIGHTSBRIDGE an easy and well graded G3 winner here last month and another with tons of potential moving forward. Proven at a mile. Must avoid potentially suicidal early duel with L and T.
Ninth Race
1. Ohana Honor
2. Missed the Cut
3. Summer Cause
OHANA HONOR a tepid nod off big effort in the Knickerbocker in ’25 finale. Stretches back out to a distance he’s won at in wire to wire fashion in the past, figures forwardly placed form that inside draw with Prat up again. MISSED THE CUT the only other member of the field with a victory at 12 furlongs, should benefit from that last one around two turns first out for current connections under allowance conditions here last month. SUMMER CAUSE obviously handled two miles with little issue in local bow but facing tougher task in this spot.
Tenth Race
1. In Our Time
2. Proctor Stree
3. Breath Away
IN OUR TIME the tepid call here returning home off solid effort in the Matriarch after which she actually galloped out in front of the field. May stand some catching even on the stretch back to a mile and one sixteenth especially if speed carrying over the course like it has been for much of the meet. PROCTOR STREET a model of consistency from Beyer standpoint who finally became a stakes winner for first time with career best performance in the Cardinal when gutting out a grueling stretch duel to prevail. Shortens up to preferred distance today. BREATH AWAY could not get to preferred one in the Matriarch but back over a course she’s handled very well in the past for the rematch. Continues to maintain top form at this time.
Eleventh Race
1. Jody’s Pride
2. Indy Bay
3. Necessity
JODY’S PRIDE freshened, back to the main and perhaps meeting a tad softer than she faced while holding own last spring/summer in New York. Looked sharp holding slight edge with Fort Nelson getting a work in over this track last weekend. INDY BAY been freshened since that debacle in the Cotillion and back to what she does best going one turn. Working extremely well for the return, re-unites with Irad for the occasion. Main caveat the potential of being bogged down in deeper footing on the rail. NECESSITY also drawn inside but loved her effort in the Rampart when fighting on gamely to the end despite never switching off that left lead down the stretch. Might relish the slight turn back to seven-eighths.
Twelfth Race
1. Cabo Spirit
2. Program Trading
3. Beach Gold
CABO SPIRIT never runs a poor one and exits one of his best yet in the San Gabriel to close ou his 6yo campaign. Projects to be loose on the lead again in this spot, might get brave, not look back again especially if course favoring speed types by this point of the card. PROGRAM TRADING lost all chance when taken up very sharply a furlong from home in the Breeders’ Cup Mile while appearing to have some run at that stages. Obviously a bit of a question as to whether he can return to that brilliant 4yo form but one to beat if close to be and getting a clean run this time around. BEACH GOLD an improving sort who ran on well late stages behind Wolfie D. over rock hard turf in the Ft. Lauderdale. Might just outrun those odds again with repeat effort. Cugino a solid second in the Ft. Lauderdale but with a perfect trip start to finish. Might not have quite that luxury breaking from far out today..
Thirteenth Race
1. Full Serrano
2. Tappan Street
3. Disco Time
FULL SERRANO expected to move well forward off disappointing showing in defense of title in the BC Dirt Mile when finishing behind the likes of Nysos and Goal Oriented, winners of the Pincay and Malibu in their subsequent starts. Forced very fast pace that day then exited race with a foot abscess per connections. Has trained extremely well since the outing, returns to nine furlongs, a distance at which he ran the red hot Nevada Beach to a close decision in the G1 Goodwood. Well posted for local bow. Could prove bit of an upset threat at best. TAPPAN STREET disappointed many with his comeback race here last month but obviously needed that outing and another training extremely well for this start. Only horse to defeat likely HOY winner Sovereignty at 3 in a race that likely graded out slower than it should have from a Beyer standpoint. Expecting best yet today. DISCO TIME hard to fault coming in a perfect five for five and off well graded effort in the Dwyer but getting major class test while also stretching to nine furlongs for the first time at what figures to be a relatively short price. Skippylongstocking makes 4th straight appearance in this event and finally well posted for a change. Last one promising in the prep. Can be along for at least a minor share.
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