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Horse Racing

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

VegasInsider Staff
VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert
7 minute read
Horse Racing Action at TVG!
Derby Day is here!
 
Okay, well not that Derby. However, we do have a blockbuster card at Oaklawn Park which features not one, but two Derbies. The Arkansas Derby (G1) has been split into two divisions and will go off as the 11th and 13th races on today’s 14-race card.
 
Each race drew 11 but after scratches we have nine in each division. There is $500,000 up for grabs along with 170 points toward entry into the Kentucky Derby (G1), which is now going to be held on the first Saturday of September.
 
Yesterday was supposed to be Kentucky Oaks Day, but instead we had the Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park which drew a field of 14 three-year-old fillies and is a qualifying race for the Oaks.
 
Venetian Harbor was hammered down to the favorite as my fourth choice, and we got our second choice Swiss Skydiver home paying $34.20. If you played the exacta you were awarded with a hefty $96.80, not bad with the chalk landing second.
 
Yes, I will not be wearing a fedora or drinking Mint Juleps this afternoon, but there is a ton of great betting races to sink our teeth into. My Best Plays Report for Saturday includes my 12 strongest plays from Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park.
 
Fox Sports 1 will cover the card from Oaklawn Park from 1:00 to 8:00 ET. In addition, the NBC Sports Network picks up the action today from 6:00 to 8:00 ET, simulcasting the TVG Network. NBC will have three hours of coverage featuring classic Kentucky Derbies and televising a “Virtual Kentucky Derby” with the lineup consisting of the 13 Triple Crown winners.
 
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. 
 
To purchase my Gulfstream Park and Best Plays Reports for Saturday 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 - 5/2

GP Race 1 Md Sp Wt (12:45 ET)
#10 Hero d'Oro   9-2
#7 East Lex   6-1
#5 Turn of Events   5-2
#8 Lascari   12-1
 
Analysis: Hero d'Oro gets another look here after a disappointing 10th place finish in his debut at 7-1 in a field of 12 here on the main track. The colt was a $1.2 million purchase, by Medaglia d'Oro out of a FuPeg mare that has dropped four winners and three have won on turf and two are stakes winners, top earner Annulment ($299,903). Brown hits at a 35% clip (with a +ROI) with second out maidens. The colt sports a strong of works on turf at Payson since his debut. The barn is 26% winners with a +ROI) moving runners from dirt to turf.
 
East Lex returns off a 2 1/2-month break after a third last out at Fair Grounds in his second career start and first on turf. Five have come out of that race to run back with one next out winner. The Maker trainee is out of a Stormy Atlantic mare that has dropped two other foals to race, no winners to date. She draws a better post here after having to break from the 14 post last out. He figures to move forward off his last effort and will be a fair price in this spot.

Gulfstream Park Featured Race of the Day - 5/2

GP Race 9 The Honey Ryder (4:53 ET)
#2 Highland Glory   9-2
#4 Micheline   15-1
#1 Envoutante   8-5
#10 Ivyetsu   12-1
 
Analysis: Highland Glory had a tough spot last out in the Sanibel Island and came with a good late rally while drifting out late to get up and win by a neck in her first start against winners and second trip on turf. She graduated on grass here two back going a mile in her third career start. Her first two starts came on dirt. In her debut she was second behind Wicked Whisper at Saratoga, that filly winning the Frizette (G1) in her next start. Second out our top pick was fourth behind repeat winner Maedean, who won the Tempted in her next start and the runner up Water White won the Busher in her most recent outing. The Tagg trainee makes her second start off a 2 1/2-month break and draws a better spot. She has faced some quality competition and still looks as if she has some upside. She is a half to turf stakes winner Highland Sky ($725,494).
 
Micheline drew the 12 post last out in the Florida Oaks (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs, stalked the early pace, came with a four wide bid and weakened to finish seventh. She was a good second two back in the Sweet Chant (G3) here going a mile over good ground. The winner of that race was Cheermeister, who returned to win the Herecomesthebride (G3) and then miss in the Sanibel Island by a neck. She is capable of better than her last outing and her 15-1 morning line looks generous.

Oaklawn Park Featured Race of the Day - 5/2

OP Race 13 The Arkansas Derby G1 (6:43 CT)
#7 Silver Prospector   10-1
#5 Nadal   5-2
#10 Farmington Road   12-1
#11 Wells Bayou   7-2
 
Analysis: Silver Prospector caught a sloppy track last out in the Rebel (G2) where is was caught in a bit tight going into the first turn, saved some ground but then found some traffic and then was bothered slightly in the stretch in a sixth place finish. He won the Southwest (G3) two back and I thought he was going to give Nadal a run for his money last out. This guy won the Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) in the slop four back and is capable of much better than his last effort. he has a shot of turning the tables here on the stretch out to nine furlongs and the 10-1 morning line looks generous.
 
Nadal is perfect in three starts, dueling for the early lead and finishing gamely to win the Rebel last out in his local debut and first start around two turns. He broke his maiden going 6 1/2 and then won the San Vicente (G2) at seven furlongs. He has plenty of pedigree to handle nine furlongs, by Blame out of a Pulpit mare. Baffert has won this race twice including with American Pharoah in 2015. The strategy figures to be to just send him. There are several foes in here that have some early zip that could makes this tough for him. The 5-2 looks fair but this guy seems likely to go off shorter.

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: #8 Lascari   12-1
R3: #6 Cornbred Kingdom   15-1
R3: #3 Rag Tag   12-1
R5: #6 Jamaican   12-1
R8: #1 Just for One Day   10-1
R9: #4 Micheline   15-1
R9: #10 Ivyetsu   12-1
R10: #8 Royal Squeeze   10-1
R11: #9 Don Juan Kitten   15-1
R12: #6 Paint the Corners   8-1
 
Good luck today!

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