Gulfstream Park handicapping roundup: Week of March 22

Opportunity knocks

If the Gulfstream jockey colony seems thinner than usual Saturday – in depth, not actual weight – it is for a valid reason. A number of prominent regulars are out of town, chasing the money and looking for potential Kentucky Derby mounts by riding in the $550,000 Spiral Stakes at Turfway. Joe Rocco Jr., Corey Lanerie, Luis Saez, and John Velazquez are all going to be in Florence, Ky. for the Spiral.

As a result, there are some riders getting stakes mounts in Saturday’s feature at Gulfstream – the Grade 2, $200,000 Inside Information – who might not have received such assignments if some of the jockeys at Turfway were in town.

Joe Bravo is on Zia Zia Zia for trainer Todd Pletcher, no doubt in part because Javier Castellano is riding the favored Centrique in the Inside Information and because Velazquez is at Turfway. So, he gets a welcome opportunity to ride for Pletcher.

Also capitalizing is apprentice Dylan Davis, who retains the mount on Toasting even though apprentice riders don’t get a weight break in stakes. Without that advantage, stables typically look for more experienced riders in stakes races.

Jockey surprises

Castellano, who rides for Pletcher and Mike Maker, is enjoying his usual strong meet atop the standings, but several riders have surprised.
Following Castellano in the standings are Paco Lopez, Saez, Joel Rosario, and then Davis. That’s right, Davis, an apprentice competing in an extremely tough colony, ranked fifth by wins entering Wednesday’s card, ahead of such bigger-name jockeys as Jose Lezcano, Julien Leparoux, Rocco, and Lanerie.

Meanwhile, veterans Alex Solis and Kent Desormeaux have ridden winners infrequently. Neither ranks in the top 20, with Solis 6 for 75 and Desormeaux 5 for 58.

Wolfson takes three shots

Pletcher may have the most 3-year-olds of any trainer around, but when it comes to older stakes females, particularly sprinters, Marty Wolfson is as loaded as anyone. With owners who concentrate on buying females and earning black type with them, Wolfson often runs two or three in stakes.

That is the case in the Inside Information. In addition to Centrique, he has Heart Stealer and My Pal Chrisy, which gives him three of the seven in the field.

Centrique is a deserving favorite at 2-1 on the morning line and might even dip lower, but those thinking they are going to get Heart Stealer at her 8-1 morning-line odds shouldn’t get their hopes up. There is no chance she goes off at that price. She was even-money when she won the Sugar Swirl in December and even went off at 3-1 against Groupie Doll when fifth in the Hurricane Bertie.

Even off her lackluster Hurricane Bertie effort, Heart Stealer is the likely second favorite, probably going off at 3-1 or 4-1.

Stakes galore

A week from Saturday is the big day of the winter meet at Gulfstream. Nine of the 13 races scheduled are stakes races, led of course by the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby.

Other graded races include the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks, a major prep for the Kentucky Oaks; the Grade 3 Rampart for fillies and mares; the Grade 3 Skip Away for older males; the Grade 3 Appleton for turf milers; and a pair of turf marathons, the Grade 3 Orchid for females and the Grade 2 Pan American for males.

In addition to those horses who run well in the Florida Derby and head on to the Kentucky Derby, a number of competitors from these races could return in stakes at Churchill during Derby Week.

Those exiting the Orchid and Pan American could make earlier returns at Keeneland, which runs a couple of turf marathons in April prior to the start of the Churchill Downs meet. Don’t be surprised to see a couple of Orchid horses return in the April 24 Bewitch at Keeneland and some Pan American horses run in the April 25 Elkhorn.