King: How I'd play Gulfstream on Sunday, July 5

It is not hyperbole to say Sunday’s races at Gulfstream Park are collectively the best since Florida Derby Day at the track in late March. The 12-race card offers nine stakes, three of which are graded.

There are stakes for babies, turf stakes, and of course, the traditional Summit of Speed dirt races, which for years were run at Calder.

I am most intrigued by value plays in the following races:

Race 6: Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

A short-distance grass specialist, Successful Native (#1, 6-1) has won two of his last three but sits at an appealing price on the morning line, presumably due to past running lines within the maiden claiming ranks.

It is his last race June 7 that most encourages me about his prospects. Equipped with blinkers for the first time, he stalked the pace and powered past some of his Bob Umphrey rivals to win an allowance with a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

If reproduced, a repeat victory looks within reach. Most of these are incapable of running that quickly on the grass.

His 6-1 morning line is probably too generous in light of his last-race performance. So expect him to drop. Still, he seems worthy of a wager at 4-1 or higher.

Race 9: Carry Back

Barbados (#8, 9-5), winner of the Spectacular Bid and Hutcheson Stakes this winter, is the most accomplished runner in the field, but not having raced since January, a layoff of nearly six months, now seemingly is the time to try to beat him.

I will try to do just that with Grand Bili (#6, 5-1), whose three starts at Gulfstream have been very good. Most recently, he ran a close second in stakes company, earning a flashy 91 Beyer Speed Figure at the Carry Back’s distance of seven furlongs.

That’s not far off the better figures of Barbados, who might not run one of his better numbers off the bench.

Not sold that he will stick to his 5-1 price, especially with the popular Javier Castellano picking up the mount. Nevertheless, he looks appealing at 3-1 or more.

Race 11: Smile Sprint

When Alsvid (#4, 6-1) upset champion sprinter Work All Week (#8, 9-5) in the Aristides at Churchill last month, most attributed it to Work All Week being unraced in 2015 and bobbling at the start.

Perhaps so, but the value is if you take the contrarian opinion that perhaps Alsvid is the better horse at the moment.

Alsvid is a very nice sprinter, one that has won three straight races, including the Count Fleet, a race that preceded his Aristides triumph. All three of those wins came with Chris Landeros in the saddle, too.

Alsvid is unproven at Gulfstream but has won at a number of different racetracks and doesn’t seem particular about the kind of surface over which he races.