ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 3, LADY RACER

FIRST RACE

STARSHIP WILDCAT had his winning streak halted but he ran another good race with a runner-up finish to the horse that set the track record at the distance in his previous start. He is going to be a handful if he retains his current form. OUR INDEPENDENCE steps up in class following a sharp win and it is encouraging to see the leading rider aboard. He is also capable of stalking what should be a fast pace. PADILLA wans more distance, but he is a sharp horse right now and there will be speed coming back to him.

SECOND RACE

ADAGIO won’t mind getting back on the main track following an okay effort in his first try on the lawn. Barn has solid numbers with horses making the surface switch and he gets a key rider change with Gaffalione picking up the mount. HONOUR LIGHT looked good winning a $16K maiden claimer and then didn’t break that sharply from the rail when he tried winners the first time. He moves to a better post and could be dangerous if he leaves there running. It is hard to make a case for the rest of them, but KING RONTOS, who was vanned off last time, has speed in a race they probably won’t be going that fast early and he worked a sharp half-mile May 3.

THIRD RACE

LADY RACER is coming off a solid effort behind Overture who came back to finish second in a firstlevel allowance race at Belmont. If she takes the expected move forward in her second start back for Pletcher she will be tough to handle at what will be a short price. RESOLANA is a half-sister to $397K stakes winner Tropic Storm and the daughter of Put It Back showed a lot of potential with a solid runner-up finish when she was favored in her debut. Easy to imagine her moving forward with a race behind her. SWEET DISTINCTION ran a big race in her first start as a sophomore and should move forward for Gold who has decent numbers with horses making their second start following a layoff.

FOURTH RACE

HOLTERS GIRL has the best Beyer Speed Figures on turf and she is dropping to a new low after showing good speed in race washed off the lawn May 5. She also got off to a slow start in her race two back and should be right there if she breaks alertly from her outside post. A LOTTA DRAMA faded after showing decent speed when she was favored at this level on the main track in a race she may have needed. She could make some noise for Wolfson who the past five years at Gulfstream has a19 percent strike rate and $2.16 ROI with horses running in turf sprints. LADY GREATNESS ran a much-improved race in just her second try on the lawn and she also ran okay the first time which was over a year ago in just her third start.

FIFTH RACE

FLY SWIFT came from a stalking position to win a maiden special weight race in her first start this year and should get a similar trip here. It is never easy facing winners first time but she is a halfsister to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Furthest Land so her future could be bright. GRACE APPEAL took them all the way the last time she went this far and should appreciate the cutback in distance following three races going around two turns where she had the lead but came up empty late. WAVES OF BLUE is a half-sister to three turf winners and comes out of a barn that does good work with turf sprinters. She has been working well enough and being a debut winner we know she can fire fresh.

SIXTH RACE

THREAT ran okay the only time she ran over dirt and the winner won her next three starts running in stakes races. THREAT is dropping to a new low, comes out of a barn that has solid numbers with horses going from turf to dirt, and could be sitting on a big effort in the third start of her current form cycle. OVERDRIVEN CAT is the only 2-time winner

in the field and she should be full of confidence following her romp over cheaper on April 27. It is hard to love 1 for 21 MILBRA on top but she should be rolling late and at the least should be part of any exotics ticket. STAR BABY looked good winning her first start in 13 months and has a right to improve with a race behind her.

SEVENTH RACE

ABTAAL does his best running late and he may have been too close to a quick pace in his latest. He drops in price, should have an honest pace to work with, and could be dangerous with Gaffalione picking up the mount. BROWNS GAP just missed going slightly longer and he came back with two sharp half-mile moves for a trainer who is winning races at a high clip at the current meet. He should get a nice trip from a forward position and the only knock is that he does have a hard time finishing off his races. VIGAS is stepping up but he is heading in the right direction and should get a nice trip sitting just off suspect speed.

EIGHTH RACE

CONCEALEDWITHAKISS finished a neck behind LINDA MIMI at this level April 20 and could turn the tables with the cutback in distance. She finished third in a stakes the last time she went 7 furlongs and she was coming off an easy win at the same distance. LINDA MIMI has been right there in her last three at this level and should get a similar trip to the one she had when she lost by a head in her latest. Gaffalione bails tor ride $500K Florida Sire My Dear Girl winner DUDE FANTASY who is making her first start since she wasn’t much of factor in the Grade 3 Delta Princess at Delta Downs. She went into the race undefeated at Gulfstream in two starts so we know she likes the track and Nicks has solid numbers with horses coming off lengthy layoffs. MORE THAN A PARTY, second off a layoff, could win this if she can regain the form she had in 2015.

NINTH RACE

UNBROKEN CHAIN had a wide trip and ran like a horse that needed a race when he finished sixth at this level two back. He came back with a big effort in a $35K maiden claimer, though, and should be tough to handle if he continues his progress here. HARLAN’S QUEST was probably done when he went 5-wide around the first turn in a similar race in his last start and should get a better trip with the move to an inside post. HIs race two back puts him right there. LITTLE NO WAY got off to a slow start when he debuted in a MSW race and the runnerup earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure when he won his next start. He drops, should move forward for Vaccarezza who has solid stats with second-time starters, and attracts Gaffalione who may be able to work out a trip from a tough post.