Pegasus Playoff Pick’em Challenge/Gulfstream Picks for Saturday, January 25:
This weekend, 1st Bet hosts Pegasus World Cup weekend at Gulfstream Park, featuring seven graded stakes culminating in the back-to-back Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf and Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup. In honor of the weekend, they are hosting a contest that is free to play with a $1,000 prize pool. Simple pick one horse in the final six races on Saturday and a side and total from the NFL games on Sunday. The more you are right, the more points you rack up.
When entering a contest, always know the rules. In this case, you get three points for every winning horse you select, regardless of the price. Additionally, you get two points if your horse places and one point if they show. That means that while picking longer prices can help separate you, there are no additional points available. Each correct NFL pick is worth five points.
Here’s who I selected for the contest (and who I considered):
Gulfstream Park, Race 8, Fred W Hooper Stakes
My Selection – I’ll take the #3 Rocket Can (5/2) here as my selection. He was awesome last time out in the Harlan’s Holiday over this track last time out and has had success at this distance. He has enough speed to stay close and the kick to finish the job. He loves Gulfstream and has had success at today’s distance.
Other options – #7 Upstanding (5/1), #5 Tumbarumba (2/1)
Gulfstream Park, Race 9, William L McKnight Stakes
My Selection – Let’s look to the rail here at #1 Limited Liability (3/1), who draws a great tactical edge over his main competition, #11 Bold Act. Limited Liability likes to be forwardly placed in a race devoid of speed and should be able to save ground on all three turns. He may also inherit the lead, which only makes him more dangerous.
Other options – #11 Bold Act (2/1), #5 Anglophile (10/1)
Gulfstream Park, Race 10, Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf
My Selection – I’m going with the rail horse in back-to-back races, so give me the #1 Raqiya (4/1) to hit the wire first. While there is other speed signed on in this race, Raqiya is the speed of the speed and has the rail, that’s a dangerous combination. She won her US debut and now switches to the Pletcher barn while keeping Dettori above. This seems like it’s all systems go.
Other options – #7 Minoushka (10/1), #11 Bless My Stars (8/1)
Gulfstream Park, Race 11, Inside Information Stakes
My Selection – #9 Emery (3/1) returns to the track after a three-month break and drew perfectly for this spot. She will be able to sit outside of the speed and let the pace either play out and go or take the lead herself. I assume it will be the former, with Emery sitting in a nice third heading around the turn before powering by in the stretch.
Other options – #7 Mystic Lake (2/1), #2 Nic’s Style (5/1)
Gulfstream Park, Race 12, Pegasus World Cup Turf
My Selection – Last time out, #6 Major Dude (6/1) won despite a troubled trip and showed the improvement that many were hoping for. Now, second off the layoff, it’s logical that he gets even better for trainer Todd Pletcher, who has always thought highly of this horse. He loves Gulfstream and is undefeated at the distance in two tries.
Other options – #7 Nations Pride (2/1), #3 Mi Hermano Ramon (8/1)
Gulfstream Park, Race 12, Pegasus World Cup Invitational
My Selection – Speed kills over this dirt course, especially going two turns, and #2 Saudi Crown (9/2) has that in spades. He has won at the distance and drew beautifully to go straight to the lead. The only bad race on the page was in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile where he was completely left at the break. He will control the race early, so it is simply a question of whether he can finish it off.
Other options – #4 White Abarrio (3/1), #5 Crupi (15/1)
Check out my NFL picks for the Pegasus Playoff Pick’em Challenge here.
Enter the Pegasus Playoff Pick’em Challenge here.
