Illman: Gulfstream pick four play for Saturday, March 28

Saturday’s Gulfstream card promises to be a fantastic afternoon of racing. Let’s try a 50-cent pick four play.

Race 6 – Appleton Stakes

Grand Tito (2) has been knocking on the door in three graded stakes this meet for trainer Gustavo Delgado and should get a good amount of pace to attack in this spot. He had to alter course sharply to the outside in the midstretch of his most recent race and was charging hard to only lose by 1 3/4 lengths. Grand Tito gets a rider switch to Javier Castellano, a jockey that can work out a pace-tracking, ground-saving trip after breaking from post 2.

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War Correspondent (6) was hung out four wide for a long way in the Grade 1 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap on Feb. 7. He should appreciate cutting back in distance and can find a good spot in midpack behind the expected solid pace. This horse has some ability and he classes up very well with these horses.

Backups include the improving Aripeka (5) and the classy Excaper (8)

Caveman:
2, 6

Ticketmaker:
A – 2, 6
B – 5, 8

Race 7 – Maiden Special Weight

Weekend Express (12) must deal with a tough outside post position, but he ran a winning race here three weeks ago. In that 7 1/2-furlong heat, Weekend Express took pace pressure from the start only to be outfinished in the final sixteenth by the heavy favorite.

All Day Sucker (1) is an intriguing first-time starter. A Broken Vow colt from the family of Candy Ride, All Day Sucker shows some solid workouts for crafty connections. It’s never easy to win first-out going long, but All Day Sucker can save valuable ground going into the first turn.

As backups, I will use newly blinkered Caprock Kid and late-running Good and Proper.

Caveman:
1, 12

Ticketmaker:
A – 1, 12
B – 11
C – 7

Race 8 – Sir Shackleton Stakes

Pants On Fire (8) looked uninterested in the early portion of the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes and couldn’t get within hailing distance of Liam’s Map and Valid (6). He is going to like cutting back to a one-turn mile and draws a lovely outside post position. There will be some pace for him to attack while in the clear.

Valid battled hard with the classy Private Zone in the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Handicap and gets some class relief this afternoon. He has an annoying habit of racing on his left lead in the stretch, but it’s hard to question his class and consistency.

Confrontation (4) was up against a speed track when fourth in the Grade 3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes on Feb. 7. Prior to that effort, he was a decent second behind Dubai World Cup-bound Lea. With a pair of triple-digit Beyers at this meet, he is in career form.

The sharp Tarpy’s Goal (7) is the lone backup.

Caveman:
4, 6, 8

Ticketmaker:
A – 4, 6, 8
C – 7

Race 9 – Maiden Special Weight

Dekalb County (13), a first-time starter trained by Todd Pletcher, is marooned in post 13, but he shows some good works leading to his debut. The dam was a multiple Grade 2 winner at middle distances.

Scorch (8) took money for his debut and ran hard from start to finish. He was game to finish second despite stuck down on the rail and should be prominent when the real racing begins.

Abounding Legacy (1), a bridesmaid in all three starts, is the lone backup.

Caveman:
8, 13

Ticketmaker:
A – 8, 13
B – 1