McGee: Gulfstream Park pick five for Sunday, Jan. 7

Before you get started on the Rainbow 6, here’s a pick-five play to start the Sunday card at Gulfstream in which I’ll be relying on Chad Brown to win race 2 with the newly gelded Carbon Data, who adds blinkers on a token class drop after having been regrouped.

I’ll single Carbon Data while surrounding him with an assortment of favorites and longshots in the other four races in the sequence. Here’s a quick synopsis of each race:

Race 1: I’ll try to ensure I’m alive by using a foursome that includes logical plays Lil Bay Corvette (1), Dra. Padilla (5), and La Nena de Papa (8) while also tossing in longshot Devuelta (2) and tossing out the MSW dropper Cucciolo.

Race 2: Not only does Carbon Data (7) have Chad throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him in trying to get him to straighten up and fly right, but he also doesn’t seem to face much in this N2L-$30K turf route while likely to be prominent from the outset.

Race 3: Illustrious Son (3) and Uncle Thone (7) are the most plausible winners when dropping in class for this bottom-level N2L dash, but I’ll also use Zach’s Image (5) at a price on the assumption he’ll be on or near the lead a long way in the third race of his form cycle.

Race 4: A pretty nice-looking field of 3-year-old maiden fillies should get its winner from the quartet of Alter Moon (1), Greater Glory (3), Bestinthebusiness (4), and Cheeky Cherub (5).

Race 5: It sure looks as if Ventina (8) should outclass these bottom-level claimers on the dramatic drop from much tougher races (she was a mere 6-1 in a rugged Claiming Crown race last month), but I’ll use Starship Hostility (1) and Roraima (7) as capable backups.

This is the straight-A play:
R1 – 1, 2, 5, 8
R2 – 7
R3 – 3, 5, 7
R4 – 1, 3, 4, 5
R5 – 1, 7, 8
50-cent ticket = $72

Here’s the DRF TicketMaker link.