Gulfstream Park Race Picks – Mac Diarmida Stakes

Padding Your Bankroll: Saturday February 21

We interrupt this trip down the Kentucky Derby Trail for a little turf racing.

There are no graded Derby preps for three year olds today, so we will go looking to add green to our bankroll by taking a look at a couple of turf races.

First, we head off to Gulfstream Park for the $150,000 Mac Diarmida Stakes, a 1 3/8 mile turf marathon that drew a field of eleven older runners.

By the time that race becomes official they likely will be loading a field of eight fillies and mares in the gate at Fair Grounds for the $125,000 Bayou Handicap, which will be contested at nine furlongs on the turf course.

Both are good betting races, and the weather should be perfect in both locales.

It will be back to the Derby Trail next Saturday as there are seven stakes for three year olds that could produce the next Derby winner.

Gulfstream Park Race 9 Mac Diarmida Stakes G2 (Post time 5:14 ET)

#6 Always First   5/1
#3 Spice Route   3/1
#9 Baltimore Bob   10/1
#10 Mr. Sidney   8/1

#6 Always First returns off a two month freshening for the Voss barn and this long winded eight year old gelding is capable of some big efforts. Three back he won the G3 Sycamore at Keeneland going 1 ½ miles, which was his seventh career win on turf. Last out the gelding drew a tough post and made a mild late run to finish third in the G2 McKnight at Calder, 2 ¾ lengths behind the winner #12 Presious Passion, who returned to finish a game second in the Sunshine Millions Turf in his next outing on Jan. 24. The gelding should get a good early pace to run at and should be rolling late and may get overlooked on the tote here.

#3 Spice Route is returning off a 2 ½ month break, last out a game nose winner in the G3 Tropical Turf Handicap at Calder going nine furlongs. The runner up in that race was Soldier’s Dancer, who returned to win the Sunshine Millions Turf in his next outing on Jan. 24. The gelding has been within two lengths of the winner in a couple of G1’s and his last four speed figs are good enough to win here in this spot. The gelding has been working steadily at Payson for his return for the Attfield barn that is 14% winners with horses coming back off a 61-180 day layoff.

Wagering
WIN: #6 to win at 7/2 or better.
EX: 3,6 / 3,6,9,10
TRI 3,6 / 3,6,9,10 / 3,4,6,9,10,12

Fair Grounds Race 9 Bayou Handicap (Post time 4:25 CT)

#8 Nans Joy   9/2
#7 Shytoe Lafeet   8/5
#3 Love to Tell   8/1
#4 Meribel   7/2

#8 Nans Joy got her first win since arriving in the U.S. last out when she beat third level allowance company at Fair Grounds going a mile. Two back she made a mild late rally to finish third in the Furl Sail behind repeat winner Stormy West, who returned to win the Krantz Memorial in her next outing on Jan. 24. She looks capable of handling the extra ground and appears to be sitting on a good one here. Her lone go at nine furlongs came when she broke her maiden overseas at Hamilton back in May of ’07. Albarado sticks for the Mott barn and we should catch a fair price on this mare.

#7 Shytoe Lafeet could not match strides late with a very sharp Stormy West last out in a runner up finish in the Krantz where she was beaten a length for the top spot. The mare earned the top last out speed fig in the effort and looks like a logical player in here although the price is going to be on the light side. She seldom runs a bad one, landing in the money in 14 of her 17 career starts on turf but sports a 4-0-0-2 record at today’s distance. Our top pick is likely going to offer better value for the top spot.

Wagering
WIN: #8 to win at 3/1 or better.
EX: 7,8 / 3,4,7,8
TRI: 7,8 / 3,4,7,8 / 2,3,4,7,8

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along during the week and covers major stakes races on the weekends.