Sign In $
Horse Racing

At the Gate – Sunday

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
4 minute read
We saw a couple of very promising three-year-olds on Saturday that very well could have a say of things on the first Saturday of May when a field of 20 line up for the Run for the Roses.

Most impressive was the Chad Brown trained Mask, who won the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man going a one turn mile at Gulfstream Park.

The colt took the field gate to wire, drawing off to win by 6 ¼ lengths as the betting favorite, returning $4.80 for the win.

We had the colt as our top pick and hit a recommended exacta that came back at $12.80. The $685,000 purchase was making just his second career start, breaking his maiden in his debut at Belmont Park going 6 ½ furlongs.

He will stretch out to two turns for his next outing, likely to come in a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.

“The way he ran, it looks like he’ll have no problem with two turns either,” Brown said. “Very professional. Second start, he handled himself perfect in the paddock and has a wonderful mind on him. Exciting horse.”

On the west coast the Bob Baffert trained McKinzie did not disappoint, returning $2.40 as the heavy favorite in the $100,000 Sham (G3) which was a Road to the Kentucky Derby points race.

The Baffert trainee won the Los Alamitos Futurity (G1) in his last outing thanks to a disqualification of his stablemate Solomini.

The colt was our top pick, but we did not come up with the exacta, which paid $14.20 with All Out Blitz running second.

We had a good day on Saturday and we are back with eight more races from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita as we await Aqueduct to pick racing back up, which won’t happen until next Thursday.

My Best Plays Report for Sunday includes my eight strongest plays from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita.

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Gulfstream Park:

GP Race 9 OClm $25,000N1X (4:06 ET)
#4 Attribute 6-1
#8 Lunaire 3-1
#3 Songeur 5-2
#6 Tipsy Kitten 4-1

Analysis: Attribute broke outward coming out of the gate, stalked the early pace and finished evenly in a fourth-place finish last out at the Big A going six furlongs. The third-place finisher Runaway Posse came back to beat $35,000 claimers in his next outing on Jan. 4 here. The stretch out to a mile should suit this guy. He is by Tapit out of the stakes winner Leah's Secret ($1.1 million) who has dropped one other winner, stakes winner Twelve Tribes ($114,861).

Lunaire is 0 for 7 since breaking his maiden at Tampa Bay Downs last February but four of those starts came in stakes company including his last two starts. he was fifth in the Gio Ponti last out, beaten four lengths and was only beaten 1 3/4 lengths two back in the English Channel. The class relief will help this guy as will Castellano picking up the call.

Wagering
WIN: #4 to win at 4-1 or better.
EX: 4,8 / 3,4,6,8
TRI: 4,8 / 3,4,6,8 / 3,4,5,6,8

Today’s Featured Race of the Day from Santa Anita:

SA Race 8 The Santa Ynez G2 (4:00 PT)
#8 Midnight Bisou 3-1
#7 Win the War 5-2
#1 Artistic Diva 6-1
#6 Yesterday's News 8-1

Analysis: Midnight Bisou is still a maiden after two starts but lost by just a head and a nose in those two outings, last out a tough beat in the Desi Arnaz going seven furlongs at Del Mar. The filly that beat her in those two starts is Dream tree, who came back to win the Starlet (G1) in gate to wire fashion in her next start on Dec. 9 at Los Al. Smith takes over and she should get an honest pace to run at in this spot. She is out of the stakes winner Diva Delite ($300,067).

Win the War tries conventional dirt for the first time in her attempt to stay undefeated. She broke her maiden on turf going 6 1/2 furlongs and then came back on the fake stuff to win the Girl's Song at seven furlongs, both trips coming at Woodbine. She was a $700,000 purchase and is bred to like dirt. She is by War Front out of a stakes placed Carson City mare that has dropped three other winners including stakes winner Dixie City ($231,980).

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 5-2 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 1,6,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 1,6,7,8 / 1,4,6,7,8

Good luck today!

Horse Racing News

VegasInsider Staff

VegasInsider Staff

More from VegasInsider Staff
•