Gulfstream card provides mixed day for Let ’em Run

Let ’em Run looks back at Gulfstream, forward to huge weekend

Well, as we dig out of an epic snowstorm here in New Jersey, our handicappers around the country are preparing for a blizzard of Kentucky Derby and Oaks Prep races in the coming weeks. Let ’em Run will be ready to cover them in our articles on Sports Talk Florida, as well as our multiple podcasts streaming on Sports Talk Media Network and various streaming apps and social channels. This weekend will have major races at Aqueduct, Gulfstream Park, and Oaklawn, as we move into March: at least, on the calendar.

Now, onto how we did over the weekend.

The John Battaglia Memorial

The race shaped up to be a duel between #1 Street Beast and #11 Fulleffort. We tabbed #4 Kilo Tango as our top pick. Instead, it turned into a coming-out party for #8 Great White, who took the field to the wire and held off a fast-closing Fulleffort. Great White returned a strong $32.32 to win for those who had him on their radar. Our selection, Kilo Tango, left himself with too much to do and finished a closing sixth in the field of 11.

Gulfstream Park – Race 8

We attempted to keep things simple with #5 Fancy Gentleman, a likely single for many handicappers. Unfortunately, he did not fire and merely went through the motions, as #7 Autobahn surged to take top honors.

Gulfstream Park – Race 9

Our top pick #10 La Cantera managed only a second-place finish. The expected pacesetter, #6 Lady Kathryn, showed early speed but faded late. The winner, #11 Maggie Go, closed strongly to get up at the wire.

Gulfstream Park – Race 10

Another race where we leaned heavily on a likely single, #6 Damon’s Mound, who proved second best on the day. If you tuned into Saturday’s podcast, partner John Kostin highlighted the winner, #2 Jack’s Promise, who paid a healthy $24.80. It pays to follow Let’em Run both in print with Florida Sports Talk and on our podcasts for late-breaking insight.

Gulfstream Park – Race 11

This is where things began to turn around. Our top pick #5 Lois Len set a clear pace and never looked back, hitting the wire first and paying $8.60.

Gulfstream Park – Race 12

We stayed hot here as our top selection #4 Vekoma View got a perfect trip and crossed the wire first, paying $11.60 for the effort.

We were dead in the water for our Pick 5 before we could even get done with our sandwich. However, between our written analysis and the insights shared on our Friday and Saturday podcasts, we were able to secure a few winners on the day. That may very well be the path forward for us — getting back to breaking down individual races and posting specific plays for each. As the Derby prep races begin to heat up, we will also be experimenting with different ticket structures to maximize value and adapt to the changing landscape.

Looking Ahead: Derby Prep Action

This weekend features three major Derby prep races. On Saturday at Aqueduct, The Gotham is scheduled with a field of nine. At Gulfstream Park, The Fountain of Youth will feature a full field of 11 runners. Then on Sunday — hello, March — Oaklawn hosts The Rebel Stakes, with a likely field of 10. Final entries will be drawn Monday, and all three races award 50 points to the winner.

Oaks Prep Spotlight

There are also two Oaks prep races on Saturday. Aqueduct hosts The Busher Stakes, where a compact field of five will compete for reduced points, while Gulfstream Park presents The Davona Dale.

Be sure to catch our lineup of shows on Mondays and Wednesdays at 2 p.m. for the BRISnet Play of the Day, Friday’s Happy Hour at 3 p.m., our in-depth Saturday breakdown at 12:30 p.m., and our Sunday Wrap-Up Show at 11 a.m.

This Saturday (subject to change once fields are finalized), we will break down the Rainbow Pick 6 at Gulfstream Park, covering Races 9 through 14. The sequence includes two marathon turf races and concludes with the Fountain of Youth in Race 14.

So remember to “bet smart, cheer hard, fast horses can lead to serious fun,” and as always… Let ‘em Run.