After outstanding racing over Pegasus World Cup weekend, Gulfstream Park is ready for another big day this Saturday afternoon. The Holy Bull (G3) headlines a 12-race card that includes an all-stakes Pick 4 over the final four races of the day in Hallandale Beach. Hopefully, we can pick off a couple favorites along the way.

Grade Descriptions: Grade A=Highest degree of confidence; Grade B=Solid Play. Grade C=Least preferred or pass; Grade X=probable winner but likely at odds too short to play.


Race 9: Swale
Grade: B-
Main Ticket: 2 Donut God; 6 Gunmetal
Backups: 7 Grayscale; 5 Gate to Wire

Forecast: #6 Gunmetal makes his first start since running a huge number on any metric on December 26 at Fair Grounds for trainer Brad Cox. The Gun Runner colt was not sent off as the favorite, but no doubt was best in this 6-furlong dash in New Orleans. If the 7-5 choice on oddsmaker Brian Nadeau’s morning line replicates that performance, he will be very tough to beat, but regardless of talent he is likely to regress at least a little bit in his second lifetime try.

Gunmetal is hard to knock, but I do prefer #2 Donut God, especially at potentially a much more favorable offering. The Into Mischief colt backed up a big run over the off track at Churchill Downs in mid-November with a victory versus stakes foes at Tampa Bay Downs. Trainer Brian Lynch appears to have him ready for a career best. He legs up Tyler Gaffalione for the first time.

#7 Grayscale has done nothing wrong. He showed a lot of speed in his debut score over this surface in mid-November. Being off since then is not ideal, but the outside draw gives jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. options out of the gate. #5 Gate to Wire is probably not good enough, but there is the potential of a very fast early pace. If he takes to the main track, he should be rolling late under Dylan Davis.



Race 10: Kitten’s Joy
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 3 Maui Strong; 6 Test Score
Backups: None

Forecast: The pace is likely to be honest in this 8.5-furlong test over the grass for 3YOs. This benefits #3 Maui Strong. The $275k FTS August 2023 purchase moves back to the lawn after racing against the flow in the Dania Beach on New Years’ Day. Two-back at Churchill Downs, the son of the race’s namesake showed a strong turn of foot to break his maiden for hot training Dale Romans. Hopefully, he can show that same late run in his second start of the form cycle.
I also like the chances of #6 Test Score. The Amerman Racing colt has not raced since overcoming a wide voyage in a race on the Breeders’ Cup undercard. Trainer Graham Motion has always been more than capable of having runners ready to fire fresh. The Lookin At Lucky colt should get a favorable voyage under Tyler Gaffalione.


Race 11: Holy Bull (G3)
Grade: B
Main Ticket: 1 Kinetic Control; 3 Tappan Street; 6 Guns Loaded
Backups: 7 Burnham Square

Forecast: #2 Ferocious is the deserving 9-5-morning line choice after a strong 2YO campaign for trainer Gustavo Delgado. The $1.3M OBS March 2024 purchase ran a huge number on debut over the off track at Saratoga and backed it up with a pair of runner-up efforts in Grade 1’s. The early success led him to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile where he had a lot of trouble, yet still showed some fight to the wire. I understand the attraction to Ferocious, but his work pattern is limited and the addition of blinkers tells me he is just not the same as he was last year. This does not necessarily mean he will not be better, but at his likely off odds I am willing to let him beat me in this year’s Holy Bull.

#1 Kinetic Control is not the likeliest winner in this race, but he is going to be one of the biggest prices on the board. There is no doubt he needs to run faster, but he has had over two months off to mature after putting in three quality efforts to kick off his career. The lone poor run was when he returned on short rest. Trainer Dale Romans is smoking hot winning with 5 of his last 9 starters. I like this colt’s chances to outrun his odds at the very least.

#3 Tappan Street ran big on debut to run down Bob Mo at a tricky distance to win at first asking. He should relish the added ground. Expect a forward trip with Luis Saez back aboard. #4 Guns Loaded looks to make it 3 in a row. Some might question his ability to get two turns after nearly getting caught at the wire in the Mucho Macho Man, but his pedigree suggests a true route of ground could be up his alley. #7 Burnham Square took a big step forward with the addition of blinkers last out. That was against much softer than he faces here, but the upside is there for the Ian Wilkes trainee.



Race 12: Forward Gal (G3)
Grade: B+
Main Ticket: 2 The Queens M G
Backups: None

Forecast: I like the chances quite a bit of #2 The Queens M G in this year’s Forward Gal. The Thousand Words filly has not raced since being up against in her third-place finish in the Tempted to close out her 2YO campaign. In that early November race at Aqueduct, The Queens M G was caught wide and off the pace on a day when inside speed was good. She comes in off a three-month break, attracts Irad Ortiz Jr, and should get a contentious pace to run at for the same connections that celebrated White Abarrio’s win in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational last weekend. Singling to close the day.