Best Horse Racing Bets Today | Gulfstream Park

Led by the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1), Saturday will be a blockbuster afternoon at Gulfstream Park. With seven graded stakes races spread out over the 13-race card, there can be little argument that this is the best day of American racing in the winter. The day’s headliner features an intriguing field of twelve older males, which includes the highly regarded Locked taking on the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner White Abarrio, the 2024 Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, and the Grade 1 winner Saudi Crown. 

The day’s other biggest races include a pair of important events on the grass. In the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1), the globetrotting Nation’s Pride is the most accomplished horse in the race and the morning line favorite. It’s not as clear as to who will go favored in a wide-open edition of the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G2), but Raqiya and Sacred Wish look like the most likely candidates. Without further ado, let’s get to my top picks and plays from this excellent afternoon of racing from South Florida.

Race #10 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 2) $500,000 1 1/16-Miles Turf- 3:45 pm EST

In a very competitive edition of the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, recent stakes winners Raqiya and Sacred Wish should vie for favoritism.

A sharp winner of her only race in the United States, Raqiya rates as a slight morning line choice at 4/1. A 4-year-old daughter of Blue Point, she is now in the care of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher after a 1 1/2-length win in the Grade 3 Goldikova at Del Mar in November. The Irish-bred controlled a comfortable early pace that afternoon, and will likely try to do the same on Saturday as she stretches out to 8 1/2-furlongs for the first time.

Sacred Wish could do no better than third in the Goldikova, but came back one month later to score her biggest career victory to date when she got up to win the Grade 1 Matriarch at Del Mar by a neck. The classy mare has never run a bad race since switching to the grass ten starts ago.   

The list of dangerous challengers to the top two in this 1 1/16-mile affair is a long one. Among the most interesting is the South African import Bless My Stars. A multiple stakes winner in her native land, she ran a deceptively good race in her American debut last month in the Grade 3 Suwannee River at Gulfstream Park. Stuck out extremely wide on the far turn, she still came flying down the lane to miss by less than two lengths. Offering good value here, she is the top pick.

My Play

• $5 Daily Double Part Wheel - Bless My Stars, Sacred Wish, Raqiya, and See You Around with Emery and Mystic Lake = $40

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Race #11 Inside Information Stakes (Grade 2) $215,000 7-Furlongs Dirt 4:20 pm EST

First and second in a graded stakes race in New York when last they met, Mystic Lake and Emery will renew acquaintances as the headliners in Saturday’s Grade 2 Inside Information Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

Although she finished second to Emery in the Victory Ride last summer, Mystic Lake is the 2/1 morning line favorite in this 7-furlong test. A five-time stakes winner for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr., she is coming off a win in the Sugar Swirl Stakes at Gulfstream Park last month. With class and recency in her favor, the speedy daughter of Mo Town will once again be a big threat here.

Emery, meanwhile, is a major rival to the morning line favorite once again. Trained by Brad Cox, the talented daughter of More Than Ready has been a consistent force in sprint races. Her only loss in six races at 7-furlongs or less came when second to Ways and Means in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga. Most recently, she was a convincing winner of the Grade 2 Raven Run at Keeneland three months ago.

Others to consider in the Inside Information include the defending champion of the race Olivia Darling, as well as the lightly raced multiple stakes winners Nic’s Style and Jody’s Pride. All three are eligible to run a big race on Saturday, but I cannot look past the consistency of Emery. She is the top pick.

My Play

• $40 Win - Emery = $40

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Race #12 Pegasus World Cup Turf (Grade 1) $1,000,000 1 1/8-Miles Turf- 4:55 pm EST

A major winner all over the world, Nation’s Pride has earned the role of headliner over eleven other older males in Saturday’s $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) at Gulfstream Park.

Coming off a disappointing run last time in Bahrain, you don’t have to go too far back in his past performances to see the 6-year-old son of Teofilo at his best. His last score came just two starts back and on American turf when he scored a decisive victory over Integrate in the Grade 1 Arlington Million at Colonial Downs. If the veteran fires his best shot here, he will be difficult to beat.

Second in the Arlington Million in his only try against Nation’s Pride, Integration will take another shot at the morning line favorite on Saturday. Trained by Shug McGaughey, the Quality Road horse has won half of his ten lifetime starts with four stakes victories. Most recently, he was a decisive winner while running longer in the Grade 2 Red Smith at Aqueduct. 

A number of others could factor in here, with Major Dude and Mi Hermano Ramon perhaps the most dangerous. Both come into this race in career best form and could be ready for a signature victory. Of the two, I will side with the former, who exits a sharp win over the course last time in the Grade 2 Ft. Lauderdale.  Nation’s Pride is the one to beat, but I will go with the better value on the streaking Major Dude. He is the top pick.

My Play 

• $10 Daily Double Part Wheel - Major Dude and Nation’s Pride with White Abarrio and Saudi Crown = $40

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Race #13 Pegasus World Cup (Grade 1) $3,000,000 1 1/8-Miles Dirt- 5:40 pm EST

An impressive winner of his only two starts as a sophomore, Locked should rule as a clear favorite against an accomplished field in Saturday’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park.

How good is Locked? His potential looks pretty high after winning the Grade 2 Cigar Mile decisively last month at Aqueduct in only his second start as a 3-year-old. A Grade 1 winner at 2, the son of Gun Runner appears to be a deserving favorite, although this should be the toughest test yet for the Todd Pletcher-trainee. I expect him to be even lower than his morning line odds of 5/2 in this 9-furlong test.

With six wins from eight starts, White Abarrio clearly appreciates the surroundings at Gulfstream Park. A Grade 1 winner at the distance at both Gulfstream Park and Saratoga, he also won the Breeders’ Cup Classic 14 months ago. Can he regain past glory? I believe this is a good spot after two solid preps over the track. He should have a big shot to add to his credentials.

Others to fear on Saturday include the speedy Saudi Crown, the Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan, and the consistent Stronghold. Of the trio, I believe the speed of Saudi Crown is the biggest danger in this race. If the talented son of Always Dreaming gets comfortable on the front end, he could go all the way. Locked could win, but I don’t like the value. In a wide open race, I am going with White Abarrio as my top pick.

My Play

• $10 Exacta Box - White Abarrio, Saudi Crown, and Stronghold = $60

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