Ricky’s Rockets ?: Gulfstream Park and Kentucky Downs for September 10, 2020

The Kentucky Downs meet rolls on with another 10-race card on Thursday afternoon. The two stakes races are the Exacta System Dueling Grounds Oaks and the Gun Runner Dueling Grounds Derby.

Also included below: my 9-race preview of Gulfstream Park!

Best of luck!

Race 7: Maiden Special Weight for fillies and mares 3-year-olds and upward going 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf

#5 Sequin makes her return to Kentucky Downs, where she ran one of her best races last year on September 5. Her past races make her a strong competitor in this spot. #8 Create a Story‘s trainer Steve Asmussen wins at 16% with first-time starters and 21% at the Maiden Special Weight level in the last 365 days.

Race 8: Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going 1 5/16 miles (10 1/2 furlongs) on the turf

#5 Stunning Sky twice faced high-level stakes runners at Saratoga this year. A repeat of either race, whether it’s the Saratoga Oaks or the Lake Placid (G2), is good enough to win here.

Race 9: Gun Runner Dueling Grounds Derby for 3-year-olds going 1 5/16 (10 1/2 furlongs) on the turf

#11 Bama Breeze should relish going long here; he’s a deep closer who’s shown that he gets better with more distance.

Race 10: Maiden Special Weight for 2-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf

#7 Habitus has never sprinted on a firm turf course before, which makes him somewhat of an unknown competitor. I’m interested to see how he does as a deep closer, and the jockey/trainer combo of John Velazquez and Graham Motion has won at 20% in the last 365 days. #12 Unitedandresolute made 1 prior turf start over a yielding Keeneland course. He closed late but ran out of time. I expect him to be a little closer to the lead than he was on that day.

THE TICKET

$10 Pick 4 (Races 7-10) 5,8 / 5 / 11 / 7,12 – $40

Kentucky Downs September 10, 2020

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Ricky’s Rockets: Gulfstream Park

Ricky’s Rockets: Kentucky Downs