Free Picks For Gulfstream Park - 6/5/20

Race 2- Maiden Special Weight (Purse - $52,500)

Eight 2-year-old colts looking for their initial career victory will go a very short five furlongs in this very competitive race. #8 Carson City Kid was tremendous in his first career start (May 8) and set the pace but lost the lead to Just Right Mike turning for home in a four-and-one-half furlong race. Expect Emisael Jaramillo to get Carson City Kid to the front early and if he does unhinged he could go wire-to-wire. Trainer Mark Cisse has a career 17% win percentage and 47% WPS percentage with 2-year-olds. #1 Peppi improved significantly over his first outing, yielding late after winning a duel for second, and there is no reason and can’t step up once again. Jockey Leonal Reyes will likely have Peppi challenge Carson City Kid from the opening gate and the winner of the duel should grab the victory. #7 Famous Gent will look for the same improvement in his second outing, as Peppi did, after finishing fourth at the same level following bumping a competitor twice out of the gate. #4 Captured the Candy, who is also a Mark Cisse horse, could make some noise in his debut after several recent strong workouts.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #8. I also like an exacta/trifecta box of #8, #1, #7. Also, I also like a show bet on #7.

Race 6- Allowance Optional Claiming ($47,000)

This $20,000 optional claimer has 11 horses one mile on the turf. #8 Azrael was fourth against similar competition the last time out as he weakened after six furlongs. So, I expect him to be a little more fit this time around. Azrael who had finished in the top 3 in three straight outings prior to the last race, improved in the next race after an initial showing at the level. Larry Rivelli has tabbed Victor Lebron to saddle the four-year-old won his only start on the turf while registering an ESpeed of 101. Azrael is one of the competitors with the earliest speed. #9 Over the Channel ran a solid race in as he edged out #3 Unlockthepotential for second at the same level back on April 5. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo, who has posted a WPS percentage of 55% the last couple of racing days at Gulfstream, will look to get Over the Channel to the podium for the fifth time in seven outings. #12 Til the End is making his first start as part of Saffie A. Joseph’s barn. Joseph, whose first-time starters have medaled 41% of their races, claimed Til the End after he failed to threaten on a bid attempt and finished fifth versus $16,000 claimers over one and one-eighth miles. The eight-year-old horse has placed in the top 3 in 13 of his career 26 turf races. #11 Mozo Bollo and Unlockthepotential should be considered in exotic bids.

Picks: I like an exacta box of #8, #9, #12. I also like a trifecta bet of #8 keyed with the #12, #9 and #11. I also like a value show bet on the #12.

Race 8- Allowance Optional Claiming ($47,000)

This very short five-furlong race should be extremely competitive with nine quality turf runners. I like the #8 What’s Inside as he has been pretty strong of late and is taking a significant drop in pricing after finishing fourth in a $62,500 claimers on April 24. What’s Inside, who has the $25,000 claiming tag, has finished either first or second in 10 of 16 outings, including 75% of his races this year, and has fared well at Gulfstream -- finishing in the money five of the 10 starts. Meanwhile, the #3 New York’s Finest is jumping up in competition after earning the win at the $16,000-$14,000 level on May 8. It has been all or nothing for the six-year-old gelding who has earned a win in nine of his 19 starts on the artificial surface, which includes two victories in four attempts at this distance. New York’s Finest also has a $25,000 price tag. #7 Quarky is coming off a disappointing eighth-place finish after a long layoff on April 16 but I expect a lot better effort this time out. The four-year-old gelding had won six of his past eight starts prior to this last outing. If the race is switched to the main track, I really like the #1 Trev to win.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #8 if better than 2-to-1. I also like a trifecta bet of #8 key with the #3, #7.