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Horse Racing

Horse Races Today: Friday’s Gulfstream Park and Oaklawn Park Analysis & Odds

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
7 minute read
Horse Racing Action at TVG!
This was supposed to be Kentucky Oaks Day which means we would be just 24 hours away from the Kentucky Derby, both days drawing more than 100,000 fans to Churchill Downs.
 
The pandemic of course has turned the world on its head, and the sports world has pretty much shut down, but we have been lucky that a handful of racetracks have continued to run without fans.
 
While there is no Run for the Roses tomorrow, we did get some great news coming out of Churchill Downs. Horses will start arriving at the Louisville track on May 11 and racing will return on Saturday May 16, with no fans in attendance. After racing that weekend, the regular schedule calls for racing from Thursday-Sunday.
 
That is good news because Saturday is closing day at Oaklawn Park, and the Hot Springs racetrack is going out with a bang. We have three stakes today, and tomorrow we have the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (G1), which has bene split into two divisions with 10 competing in each race.
 
Sandwiched between those two races is the $600,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) which drew a stellar field of older runners.
 
The NBC Sports Network picks up the action today from 4:00 to 7:00 ET. On Saturday Fox Sports 1 will cover the card from Oaklawn Park from 1:00 to 8:00 ET.
 
Horseplayers can also stream all the horse racing action using the Watch TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a risk free bet up to $300 for new players. 
 
My Best Plays Report for Friday includes my nine strongest plays from Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park.
 
To purchase my Gulfstream Park and Best Plays Reports for Friday click here .
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package. It gives you a month of Gulfstream Park Reports daily and my Best Plays Report which will include all the major Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.
 
Here is the opening race from Gulfstream Park to get the day off to a good start:

Gulfstream Park Race 1 Analysis - 5/1

GP Race 1 Md $25,000 (1:00 ET)
#5 Punchline   6-1
#10 Starship Bubba   8-5
#3 Wordman   7-2
#1 Mymagic   12-1
 
Analysis: Punchline stalked the early pace while keen and under a hold, was caught in behind a foe, angled out and finished evenly in a third-place finish last out against $16,000 foes. He was fifth in his turf debut which came two back, his first four starts coming in dirt sprints. The Jerkens trainee has a decent enough turf pedigree, by Into Mischief out of an Unbridled's Song mare that has dropped three other foals to race with just one dirt winner. He gets a jock upgrade here to Gaffalione and does not need to move forward all that much off his last effort to get the job done in this spot.
 
Starship Bubba set the early fractions and finished gamely in a runner up finish last out, beaten just a half-length for the top spot in his first start off the claim by the Maker barn. He was taken out of a fifth on the main track here for $25,000. His other turf try came in his second career outing where he was outrun versus $75,000 foes. There is not much early speed signed up to go here. The colt is out of a stakes placed Peace Rules mare that has dropped two winners including one turf winner. He is the logical one to beat in this spot.

Gulfstream Park Featured Race of the Day - 5/1

GP Race 8 OClm $20,000SAL (4:48 ET)
#2 Flowmotion   9-2
#1 Dalarna   9-5
#4 High Noon Rider   7-2
#10 Jakarta   6-1
 
Analysis: Flowmotion has won back to back races at a mile, last out making a good late rally to beat $25,000 starter optional claimers. The gelding comes right back versus similar company and the Cibelli trainee is going to get a really good pace set up here as there is plenty of early zip signed up. He has won 5 of his 13 trips over the grass here and looks capable of winning right back here.
 
Dalarna tracked the early pace, made a good middle move and got clear in the stretch but got run down, settling for the runner up spot. He won two back over good ground against $16,000 starter optional claimers, his third win over the grass here. Breaking from the rail he should be able to work out a trip from mid pack. He gets a jock upgrade to Saez and his numbers in three of his last four starts are good enough to handle this group. He was heavily bet in his last two starts and again figures to be the favorite although hopefully at a bit better price than his last two outings.

Oaklawn Park Featured Race of the Day - 5/1

OP Race 9 The Fantasy G3 (5:09 CT)
#10 British Idiom   5-2
#3 Swiss Skydiver   6-1
#5 Harvey's Lil Goil   12-1
#2 Venetian Harbor   2-1
 
Analysis: British Idiom should move forward off his runner up finish in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) last out at Fair Grounds off a 3 1/2-month break. The filly was lightly bumped coming out of the gate, had to steady off heels going into the first turn, raced wide much of the trip and was no match for Finite in a runner up finish The third place finisher Swiss Skydiver came back to win the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) while fourth place finisher Tempers Rising came back to run a good second in the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and Finite was fourth in that race. The Cox trainee was perfect last year capping off the year by winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). She has worked sharply over the main track here and is going to get a good pace set up as there is plenty of early zip signed up in here.
 
Swiss Skydiver was 1 3/4 lengths behind our top pick in a runner up finish in the Rachel Alexandra and she came back to wire the field in a sharp win in the Gulfstream park Oaks earning a career top speed figure. It was her second trip going two turns. The McPeek trainee took an advantage of a race without much pace and she will see it here. But she has shown an ability to come from off the pace coming from nine to rally in her maiden win at seven furlongs. She may end up getting overlooked in this spot.
 
Harvey's Lil Goil has been working at Payson for her first start since trouncing the field in the Busanda by 7 1/2 lengths at Aqueduct going nine furlongs. The runner up in that race was Walter White, who came back to win the Busher in her next start at Aqueduct on March 7. The Mott trainee looks as if she still has some upside. She should get a good trip from mid pack and her 12-1 morning line looks generous.

Live Longshots:

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
 
Gulfstream Park
R1: #1 Mymagic   12-1
R2: #5 Highly Noted   10-1
R3: #6 Chaos Kid   10-1
R4: #3 King of the South   8-1
R5: #5 Free Flayme   10-1
R7: #2 Uyeda   12-1
R10: #5 Takestwotowiggle   20-1
R10: #6 Twice as Magical   10-1
R11: #10 Silly Notion   8-1
 
Good luck today!

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