McGee: Gulfstream pick three play for Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019

As a way to illustrate just how difficult the Rainbow 6 sequence (races 7-12) looks Saturday, I’ll be taking a crack at the first three legs by playing a little pick-3 ticket. The final three legs are just as tricky, so whoever is helping to empty the forced-out jackpot either (A) will be spreading quite freely or (B) is very lucky and/or very good at sniffing out winners on this particular day.

Here’s my first half of the Rainbow:

:: Build your pick three ticket with DRF TicketMaker

Race 7: I have closely watched the likely favorite Valid Exchange (4) in all three prior starts and can’t really give her many excuses, although this class drop sure might be enough to finally get her home. Still, she’s shaky, so I’ll also use a few pricier plays in Watch Your Step (1), Oh Danny Bear (2), In Gus We Trust (11), and Captain Cholo (12).

Race 8: No doubt that many players will use Reagan’s Odyssey (2) as a single to try and reduce the cost of their Rainbow tickets, but she sure doesn’t have to win here (and doesn’t seem to like to win, either). Hera (5) finished behind the favorite in their last meeting, but she’s eligible to improve substantially with that needed race under her for trainer John Kimmel, while Dynatown (9) closed very well at this same level and looms a threat, too.

Race 9: This is one of those loaded MSW races that seems to pop up nearly every Saturday at Gulf. The gun-to-head pick would be the promising Can’t Buy Me Love (9), given the way she closed so strongly in her debut, but getting through this bulky field could become a demanding task. I’ll protect with fillies drawn closer to the rail - Ebullient (2), On the Town (3), and the you-just-can’t-throw-out-Chad firster Clause (4).

Here’s the straight-A ticket:

Race 7: 1, 2, 4, 11, 12

Race 8: 2, 5, 9

Race 9: 2, 3, 4, 9

50-cent ticket = $30