McGee: Gulfstream Park analysis for Sunday, April 26, 2020

Marty McGee’s Gulfstream Park analysis for Sunday, April 26, 2020

BEST BET: Sneer (8th race)

First Race
1. New York's Finest 2. I'm Cardinal 3. Earth

An 11-race Sunday card brings an end to another four-day, fan-less week at Gulfstream, where the Southern Florida forecast calls for a chance of thundershowers and highs in the mid-80s. (All picks for today assume turf racing stays ON.) Looking for NEW YORK'S FINEST to return fresh and sharp from his 12-week layoff; outer post can yield a clean forward trip. Right alongside, I'M CARDINAL makes the third start of his form cycle when exiting a couple of tough Tampa allowances; legit here. EARTH has met some real good'ns in recent starts and should make his presence felt.

Second Race
1. El Pillo 2. Island Song 3. Handsome Prince

Seven-month layoff for EL PILLO not a big deal when you consider it's Klesaris whose care he's been under; veteran trainer tends to do his very best with grass sprinters such as this guy. ISLAND SONG surely will come favored for the 5th time in his last 6 starts after running so well on the drop to this $25k level; clearly the one to hold off. HANDSOME PRINCE should be flashing early foot when loading-n-going from his outside box.

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Third Race
1. Socially Astray 2. Toonie Loonie 3. Aznavour

A couple of okay races for SOCIALLY ASTRAY since she was turned over to Sano, and those were over turf and slop; thinking she'll be able to stay close enough to the likely favorite, the speedy TOONIE LOONIE, to finally knock out a career first; extra credit if she happens to catch a dry track. AZNAVOUR sheds the blinkers for her high-percentage barn.

Fourth Race
1. Holly Hill 2. Suzie Its You 3. Say Adios

Looks like HOLLY HILL has become a brand new filly since S. Maragh assumed her training; blast-off maiden score four Sundays ago makes her an immediate threat in first try vs. winners. SUZIE ITS YOU clearly had an issue or two following that eye-catching win here last August; no worries, however, with all the Dibona regrouping under her belt. SAY ADIOS also could be very sharp when returning from a very long layoff.

Fifth Race
1. Starship Voyager 2. Thissmytime 3. Smooth as Glass

The promise of a handful of these Fla-bred fillies seems to make this an above-average race for the level. Starting with STARSHIP VOYAGER, who ran a big one three Sundays ago following overt toteboard hints for the Marlins Man; looks like she's the goods. THISSMYTIME was terrific last fall in her first-and-only in New York; seems a powder keg in O'Connell's hands. SMOOTH AS GLASS is one who merits a very close look when coming unveiled by Ralph.

Sixth Race
1. Azrael 2. Resident Liberal 3. Over the Channel

AZRAEL helped end the championship meet with a rare $14.80 mutuel for Chad, whose runners, like those of so many other trainers, have remained put in Southern Florida with NY/Ky etc. shuttered tight; that 86 Beyer Speed FigureF in his comeback triumph points him out, especially when taking advantage of the Fla-bred condition. RESIDENT LIBERAL goes for the optional $20k as a potential price play for your 'under' verticals, while OVER THE CHANNEL and RHYTHMIA (Irad) also can run themselves into the mix.

Seventh Race
1. Beyond Gone 2. Captured by Fate 3. Ain't Wasting Time

Out of his element in a shorter turf race vs. quicker and classier, BEYOND GONE now returns to the open-$30k level at which he began his spring-summer meet with a clear-cut win; why not right back. CAPTURED BY FATE comes shrewdly spotted for a tag after winning a MSW off-turfer at the championship meet; prominent from the bell. AIN'T WASTING TIME gets Irad and a better post than when he was 2-1 vs. some of these same 3yos.

Eighth Race
1. Sneer 2. Feeling Funny 3. You're the Best

It took a pretty nice filly named Pleasant Orb the length of the stretch to finally put away SNEER, who comes the day's best after now running two good ones in as many starts over dirt; early rating under Saez would do. FEELING FUNNY was auspiciously backed in both starts at the championship meet; likely to come favored when adding Irad to the equation. YOU'RE THE BEST and the beautifully-bred WinStar firster PARIS LIGHTS are worth considering.

Ninth Race
1. Bourbon in May 2. American Ninja 3. Morning Stride

Quite plausible that some of the major stables will be trying to cull some of their stock before they're cleared to return north; maybe that's why BOURBON IN MAY finds himself in for a mere $12,500 following some respectable allowance efforts at the championship meet for the Pletcher powerhouse; taking quite the edge here. AMERICAN NINJA, a two-time winner at the last meet, can pose a late danger after tripping out from an inner post. MORNING STRIDE had a decent FG meet and tries assimilating right away off the Maker claim.

Tenth Race
1. Ournationonparade 2. Tomato Bill 3. Hop Kat

An outstanding 1x allowance sprint drew a number of interesting-looking 3yos, including OURNATIONONPARADE, who wanted no part of a mile after his encouraging Hutcheson effort; classy Maryland-bred highly eligible to thrive on this cut-back. TOMATO BILL was good enough to run 2nd in a G3 last summer at 2; regrouping from Clement surely was handled with care and precision. HOP KAT really wowed them last spring in Ky.; one more who's back after lots of a.m. TLC.

Eleventh Race
1. Inconveyance 2. Queen'splate Nolan 3. Jack Beanstalk

Noteworthy class drop for INCONVEYANCE liable to make him much more a factor than when he made his grass/2-turn debut earlier this month for Biancone; gray NY-bred worth a flyer, at least. Right alongside, QUEEN'SPLATE NOLAN drops with aggression for Maker and the Ramseys; no longer the barn's top hope for Canada's premier event, evidently, but good enough at this modest level. JACK BEANSTALK takes a subtle raise as a twice-beaten fave and logical contender.