Daily Racing Form expert handicapper and analyst Mike Welsch handicaps the Saturday, February 28 racing card at Gulfstream Park, including his projected 1-2-3 finishers. His best bet of the day comes from Race 4.
Also, view FREE DRF Past Performances for today’s Race of the Day.
BEST BET: Wolfie’s Dynaghost (4th race)
Fourth Race
1. Wolfie’s Dynaghost
2. Fort Washington
3. Beach Gold
WOLFIE’S DYNAGHOST, the day’s best, just continues to get better with age and again looks loose as can be on the front end with a clean beginning. FORT WASHINGTON had no chance in the Pegasus Turf after breaking outside and taking back to last during early stages. Classy sort won the Arlington Million, would need only repeat that effort to get barn off the duck for the meet. BEACH GOLD gets a little class relief after failing to menace in the Pegasus Turf. Ran well enough behind preferred choice in Ft. Lauderdale to keep in this mix.
Here are Mike’s thoughts on the other thirteen races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card.
First Race
1. Uncle’s Gold
2. Our Souper Hero
3. Noble Confessor
UNCLE’S GOLD would have to go from tough post if somehow drawing in off AE list but never better, might just overcome the draw in his present form. OUR SOUPER HERO gets the nod over the ones in body of race. Another who has looked very sharp since shipping locally, with the potential of getting loose on the front end once again in this spot. NOBLE CONFESSOR also figures forwardly placed from his inside draw. Beaten a neck by Tiz Dashing in NY finale, the latter flattering race finishing second here in Tropical Park Derby. Smooth Breeze second off the layoff and Irad takes the call. Can’t ignore.
Second Race
1. Quentin B
2. Lincoln’s Law
3. McCann
QUENTIN B ran a strong one in defeat at first asking after breaking a step slow and rushing up along the dead rail in a race won by the very promising Code Review. May not be facing that kind here. One more chance. LINCOLN’S LAW could prove best of all the new faces in this lineup. Note the bullet from Payson gate on 2/14. Is a half to multiple G1 winner Chancer McPatrick. MCCANN by Mitole in dangerous hands off the bench. Half to multiple SW Valentine Candy.
Third Race
1. Knoty Knicks
2. Thousandsticks
3. Honey Dutch
KNOTY KNICKS, an improving sort from a Beyer standpoint, might just spring the mild upset if getting a little help up front. Not badly beaten by THOUSANDSTICKS in their two previous meetings and likely to offer a little value again today. The latter the obvious choice at yet another short price. Perfect over the course but coming off grueling effort capturing stakes debut in the Kittens Joy. HONEY DUTCH loses the blinkers and perhaps the speed of the speed. Exits his best yet when loose on the lead in the Dania Beach.
Fifth Race
1. Royal Crescent
2. Moonstrocity
3. Criteria
ROYAL CRESCENT raced on the dead rail for opening half-mile of his debut, checked at top of stretch before easing out and passing a couple behind highly regarded Code Review. Well drawn outside for second start. Should improve. MOONSTROCITY ran extremely well going a mile on turf at first asking despite breaking slow, rushing and getting hung throughout. Trained extremely well for that outing, might prove bit of a sleeper switching to dirt. CRITERIA the logical choice, having chased home none other than Ted Noffey in his only start. May just prove too fast for these if not needing one going a mile off the bench.
Sixth Race
1. Spirit Doll
2. Sapphire Beach
3. Sister Troienne
SPIRIT DOLL has scratched several times for various reasons since eye-catching turf bow during the fall. Seems to be training forwardly enough to expect similar performance despite belated launch to 3yo campaign. SAPPHIRE BEACH earned high marks, winning recent N1X allow. sprint over this course, may stand some catching on stretch to a mile. SISTER TROIENNE hard to leave out in her present form but perhaps facing toughest task yet at another very short price.
Seventh Race
1. Knightsbridge
2. Mika
3. Classic of Course
KNIGHTSBRIDGE has dominated this category on two previous occasions this winter. Extremely talented one turn runner hard to get past even at the short price once again. MIKA didn’t show his abundant speed in the Pegasus World Cup and back to what he likely does best, a one turn mile. One to fear. CLASSIC OF COURSE can come running late to pick up some pieces.
Eighth Race
1. Tenacious Leader
2. Dashman
3. Burnham Square
Lots to like about TENACIOUS LEADER in local bow. Has held own with some very talented, stakes-quality runners in all recent starts, including G1 winner Troubleshooting in last try at Keeneland, a race from which 3rd finisher Giocoso returned to win G3 Commonwealth and 5th finisher Salamis came back to capture G1 Hollywood Derby. Beat Montador two back, that one also a SW and Grade 3 placed. Hard to look back returning to allowance ranks today. DASHMAN a Grade 3 winner here a year ago but with plenty of gaps between starts on resume’. Perhaps main danger if at his best off yet another long break. BURNHAM SQUARE freshened since huge try in Grade 3 Nashville Derby in just his first start over the surface. Working forwardly on dirt for the return.
Ninth Race
1. Classic Mo Town
2. Ciao Chuck
3. Horsepower
Looking for some value in a field that might be covered by a blanket again at the wire. CLASSIC MO TOWN and CIAO CHUCK both hung wide around both turns chasing home the likes of HORSEPOWER and Prevent under similar conditions last month. Should get a little more help up front with that pair from likes of Act a Fool, Iron Hand or Brawn in rematch. Trip always the key in these races.
Tenth Race
1. No Show Sammy Jo
2. Venencia
3. Gallant Greta
NO SHOW SAMMY JO dominated same kind in Via Borghese, bounced while also victimized by a bit of a bizarre trip stretching out to a mile and a half in the Clement. Back to 11 panels, taken to bounce back in a big way with proper handling. VENENCIA could take advantage of the lack of pace in this field, might try to steal it at a price on front end off that sub :47 half-mile work on the turf last week at PM. Ran huge one from close up to capture the G3 Dowager last fall at Keeneland. GALLANT GRETA, another exiting the Clement, showed enough in previous try to toss in for minor share.
Eleventh Race
1. Imperatrice
2. On Time Girl
3. Swing Vote
IMPERATRICE ran big in defeat in the Forward Gal, getting hard used on front-end dueling speedster Mythical, hanging on for second money behind ON TIME GIRL, who got the absolutely dream trip out in better footing. Deserves a chance to reverse that decision with a better trip. The latter hard to fault in present form and well posted to get a similar dream trip, especially if track favoring the outside again today. SWING VOTE should have won debut, bounced back to win maiden in well graded fashion at second asking. Would fit with top pair if able to repeat that try at a mile.
Twelfth Race
1. Movin’ On Up
2. Lush Lips
3. Crevalle d’Oro
MOVIN’ ON UP an improving sort who overcame tough post in Pegasus World Cup. Held in gamely start to finish, especially after striking lead in early stretch. Turn back to a mile could prove a plus while also more favorably drawn near mid-pack. LUSH LIPS closed out her 3yo campaign in top style and appears to be training forwardly for ’26 bow. CREVALLE D’ORO a model of consistency of late. Outran her odds in the Pegasus FM Turf, surely to be over-bet, luring Irad off big one in Pegasus.
Thirteenth Race
1. Grand Sonata
2. Dancin in Da’nile
3. Layabout
GRAND SONATA and DANCIN IN DA’NILE arguably the class of the field, although both winless in quite some time. Former earned nearly a half-million without a win in ’25 after banking $1.3 the previous season. Returns to arguably one of her favorite courses and well spotted if able to give a top performance off the near five month layoff. Dancin in Da’nile out of his comfort zone over the Woodbine turf and synthetic, but with some races on his resumé, that would make him major factor at perhaps a bit of a price today. LAYABOUT an up-and-coming sort exiting best het in the McKnight, although not likely to get loose as readily with Tank in this lineup. Still must respect in current form.
Fourteenth Race
1. Commandment
2. Napoleon Solo
3. Jackson Hole
Lots of talent, lots of question marks in the FOY. COMMANDMENT did not beat a whole lot but did so impressively in the Mucho Macho Man then galloped out like a horse who’d relish more distance. Only drawback the relatively short price in his two turn bow. NAPOLEON SOLO may be the most talented of them all in here off that super performance in the G1 Champagne, but perhaps not cranked up for very best off the bench with Ky. Derby as the main goal down the road. Still might just be good enough to beat this bunch, especially if allowed to shake loose on the front end. JACKSON HOLE the only member of the field with a win around two turns, but must avoid getting pinned down what has been dull footing on the rail for quite some time on the main. Chief Wallabee has a bright future, but giving away a ton in experience in this spot. Still might be worth tossing in for at least a share at what figures to be a fair price.
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