Ricky’s Rockets ?: Gulfstream Park Picks for April 25, 2020

The streak is OVER!! It took long enough yesterday, I finally got a Pick 5 home. I want to thank everyone for following along as we look to make it back-to-back winning days! With the Inside Track Wagering Guide to the Carousel Stakes available for purchase, I will be covering the early part of the card at Gulfstream Park. This is one of the tougher cards I’ve covered there, but I feel good about the tickets that I will be playing! 

Best of luck!

Race 1: Maiden Claiming $12,500-$10,500 for 3-year-olds and upward going 5 furlongs on the turf. Purse $17,000

#1 Took a Cab really took to the turf last time out on April 4. He showed speed out of the gate and lead all the way into the stretch. He weakened late and finished fourth, but he ran a great race. He cuts back in distance in this spot and should be very tough to beat on the front end. #3 R Ninja J K makes his debut for Georgina Baxter. Baxter’s numbers are superb at the Maiden Claiming level winning at 36% in the last 365 days. Emisael Jaramillo is aboard, a frequent rider on Baxter’s runners. I would be shocked if he stays at 9/2 come post-time. #7 Bychance ran last week for Jaime Mejia and posted a :21.21 opening 1/4 mile. To no one’s surprise, he faded, but it was an encouraging effort. He will have to show that speed once again to beat this group, but he drops in class and should have an easier time with this field. The best closer in this group and my top choice is #10 Katara Pass. I’ve talked in the past how these turf sprints can melt down and leave runners like Katara Pass to pick up the pieces. He’s been 9/1 or higher in all five of his career starts, so it’ll be interesting to see if the public fades him once again in a much more favorable spot.

Race 2: Claiming $12,500-$10,500 for 3-year-old fillies going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the turf. Purse $20,000

#9 Midnight Gem is another deep closer in this field. Three starts back, Wicked Solution beat Midnight Gem at the Claiming $20,000 level, but Midnight Gem was down on the rail. Luis Saez is one of the best riders in the country, but he didn’t give her a chance that day. She faced traffic the entire way with zero room to run in the stretch. Her outside post is a major upgrade in this spot as Edgard Zayas looks to work out a better trip.

Race 3: Maiden Claiming $12,500-10,500 for 3-year-olds and upward going 6 furlongs on the dirt. Purse $17,000

#1 Ominous makes his debut for Juan Alvarado as a 5-year-old by Scat Daddy. It’s always concerning when a horse makes his debut at age 5, but this is a very weak field. He ran a :47.90 4-furlong workout on April 15 and looks ready to enter the gate. Rodolphe Brisset’s #10 Lanse Mitan is my top choice in this group. He ran second last time out to Sea Lover, who is now 2/2 in his career. He’s been much quicker on the dirt than the turf and should beat this group to the turn.

Race 4: Claiming $12,500 for 3-year-olds and upward going 1 mile (8 furlongs) on the turf. Purse $19,000

This group was very difficult to separate, and a case could be made for a lot of runners. #3 Mystical Moon is my top choice in this group due to his consistency on the track. Since being gelded, he’s run much better at tougher levels. Two starts back, he won at the claiming $16,000 going 8 furlongs, but last time out, he was on the outside and never got the position into the first turn that he needed to run his best race. Despite that, he still finished second. He draws toward the inside for this start, making him a logical choice. #5 The Mighty Judge takes a slight drop in class for Jane Cibelli after running at the Claiming $16,000 level. He had a tough beginning in his last start from the far outside, making that race very difficult to win. He gets Irad Ortiz, Jr., who makes his return to the track after a brief hiatus. #7 Cause for Pardon is tough to figure out. He hasn’t finished in the money since October of last year while running in much better, where he failed to show the ability to pass horses. Luis Saez has won 2/5 races with Bob Hess, Jr., runners in the last 365 days, making this 5-year-old a logical choice. #9 Peacock Kitten makes his third start in 2020 for Saffie Joseph, Jr. He will be tough to beat, but the outside post should actually help Edgard Zayas position him into the first turn. It also helps that Zayas has won at 26% with Joseph, Jr., runners in the last 365 days.

Race 5: Maiden Special Weight for 3-year-olds going 7 furlongs on the dirt. Purse $45,000

This is one of the better races on the first half of Saturday’s card as this group of 3-year-olds look for their first win. #2 Fugitive makes his third start for Mike Maker this year. He pressed Colonel Liam the entire way last time out but weakened to third in the stretch. A cutback in distance makes sense for this colt by Candy Ride. #4 Ashiham was purchased for $800,000 as a yearling in 2018 but didn’t make his debut for Kiaran McLaughlin until February this year. He was wide the entire way and failed to fire in the stretch, but I’m not sure if he’s all that quick out of the gate, so the extra furlong should help him out tremendously. #8 Basquiat is my top choice in this field, making his debut for Chad Brown. He’s been extremely quick in the mornings and is by American Pharoah. Merneith, also by American Pharoah, won going away for Bob Baffert this past Sunday on a sloppy track, so if Gulfstream Park gets enough rain, it could improve his chances. Another first-timer in here is #9 Chasing Anna for Kenny McPeek. He posted a :47.08 4-furlong workout last Saturday here and is extremely quick. His sire, Fast Anna, was a career 3/3 here at Gulfstream Park in his nine career starts.

THE TICKET

$.50 PICK 5 (Races 1-5) – 1,3,7,10 / 3,9 / 1,10 / 3,5,7,9 / 2,4,8,9 – $128

$.50 PICK 4 (Races 2-5) – 3,9,10 / 1,9,10 / 3,5,7,9 / 2,4,8,9 – $72

$5 PICK 4 (Races 2-5) – 3,9 / 1,10 / 3,9 / 8 – $40

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