There's a lot of stuff going on in the horse racing world, most of it involving the equine fatalities at Santa Anita and the subsequent decision by Santa Anita management to suspend racing indefinitely until track maintenance experts can inspect the track, make any needed fixes, and verity that the surface is safe. Though we will miss the racing in Arcadia, particularly Santa Anita Handicap day, the absence of which will leave a gaping hole in the national racing calendar this coming Saturday, we will do what we have done during trying times countless times in the past: we will go back to the horses. Bill Barich, in his all-time great horseplayer book, Laughing in the Hills, turned to Golden Gate Fields after the death of his mother; and we, during similarly trying times in our life, have found a trip to the track to be welcome respite from the realities of the harsh world. There is something about standing at the rail of your favorite local oval, or even going to the OTB, that is comforting. It's an escape, of course, but it is harmless, and it’s one about which one needs to feel no guilt, for the troubles of the world will be waiting for one after the last race is over.
We will try for an escape today at Gulfstream, Oaklawn, and the Fair Grounds. Gulfstream and Fair Grounds have dry forecasts, and should be fast and firm; Oaklawn is supposed to be wet. Our picks at Oaklawn are for a wet track; for the Fair Grounds and Gulfstream, they are for fast and firm. So let's try for an escape by diving into the past performances of these sublime animals.
We'll start with Race 2 from Gulfstream (post time: 1:05 pm Eastern), a 6-furlong dirt starter allowance for older horses. This field came up strong: There are several runners here who have earned very impressive recent Beyer Speed Figures. There's abundant speed in this race, with several runners who look like they need the lead. With several horses all gunning for the lead, we think that the early pace of the race will be too fast, and that will set the race up for a stalker. We like 3-I Idolize You: His best races have been when he can make a move just off the pace, and we think that the shape of this one will suit him perfectly. Moreover, he's trained by Jason Servis, who has cooled off somewhat recently, but who's still winning at an otherworldly 46% at the current Gulfstream meeting. That all adds up to a go for us, so we'll take I Idolize You on top. The bet: Gulfstream Park, Race 2, $15 to win on 3-I Idolize You.
The 6th at Gulfstream (post time: 3:08 pm Eastern) is a $35k maiden claiming dirt sprint for 3-year-old fillies at 6 furlongs. We like 8-Mad Slam: this filly ran twice in maiden races at Woodbine last fall; she ran one good one, and one not-so-good one. But she makes two key changes today: She drops from straight maiden to maiden claiming company, and she switches from the synthetic surface at Woodbine to traditional dirt at Gulfstream. We think these changes will suit her, and that, coupled with the fact that she is handled by the skillful trainer Stuart Simon, makes her a solid win pick. The bet: Gulfstream Park, Race 6, $20 to win on #8-Mad Slam.
At Oaklawn, Race 4 (post time: 3:52 pm Eastern) is an allowance, a 6-furlong dirt sprint for older females. There is a strong play here, as long as the track is wet: I is 6-Paintergone. This 5-year-old mare has a penchant for running on off tracks, and she also -- and this is probably more important -- possesses high early speed, enough to get out there and avoid the kickback of water and mud from the hooves of the horses running in front of her. Moreover, she's got an outside post, which is always an advantage in sprints. Add it all up, and she's a go: we pick her to win. The bet: Oaklawn Park, Race 4, $25 to win on 6-Paintergone. We note that this is a wet-track pick only: if it comes up dry, forget it.
We will also make a small, flier, sloppy-track win play at Oaklawn, and it's in Race 5, which goes off at 4:19 pm Eastern. It's a mile race for horses 3 and up. The horse on the rail, 2-Arguto, is a first-time starter trained by Nick Zito, and these horses are normally a toss, as Zito horses usually need a race. But his wet-track breeding is impressive, and his morning works suggest that he might have enough speed to go to the front. Plus he's got the rail, which in a two-turn race in the slop is a plus. This is admittedly a stab, but he's 10-1, and we can't resist, so we'll throw a fiver on him. The bet: Oaklawn Park, Race 5, $5 to win on #2, Arguto.
Race 9 at the Fair Grounds (post time: 5:22 pm Eastern) is a 6-furlong dirt sprint for $10k maiden claimers 3 and older. We like 5/2 favorite 4-Grand Omega. He's tried this level three times, without winning, but he did hit the board in those three races -- a second and two thirds -- and we think he finally catches a field he can handle (the rest of the field, to put it politely, will not remind anyone of Northern Dancer). We'll try to end the day with a convincing win, and Grand Omega is by far the likeliest winner of this race. As everyone knows, being a chalk-eating weasel is a sublime form of recreational escape, so we'll take the favorite on top. The bet: Fair Grounds, Race 9, $25 to win on 4-Grand Omega.
That's all for today. We hope your parimutuel efforts give you an escape from today's world. Good luck at the windows.