SILENT GLORY
Trainer: Gary Contessa
Last race: Dec. 3, 4th
Finish: 4th by 15 3/4
Beyer: 42
This 2-year-old trailed for the first half-mile after being bumped between horses at the start, and rallied past several rivals despite a broken rein in the stretch of a $75,000 off-the-turf maiden route in the mud.

Like everyone else, I was gutted when I learned of the passing last Thursday of Shared Belief. And I think one of the reasons why his loss stung so much is you have to go back many, many years to find a horse who was even remotely as brilliant, accomplished, and brutally unlucky, all at the same time.

It’s almost as if Shared Belief’s star-crossed life made it easier for us flawed humans to relate and become more deeply attached to him.

We’ll try to pick up some holiday spending money by attacking Sunday’s early pick four at Aqueduct.

Race 2

A potential speed duel looms between IRISH WHISPER (3) and BILEAPS AND BOUNDS (4), which could set things up nicely for dropdown HERE’S ZEALICIOUS (5).

A – 5
B – 3, 4

Race 3

With all the rain having pounded the Miami area, I’m going to assume there will be no turf racing Sunday at Gulfstream. Knowing that, IRISH COLONEL (7) should be very tough to beat in race 8 when the race moves to the main track, and I’ll try to leverage his superiority while also singling another likely winner, JOYOUS AFFAIR (4), on the drop in race 7.

I’ll try to catch a price in the sixth race (another likely off-the-turf race) when fashioning this straight-A pick three ticket.

Trainer Chris Block saddles Be Playful (#7, ML 8-1) in Saturday's third race at Gulfstream Park, a 1 1/16-mile starter stakes on turf. Since Jan. 1, 2014, Block is winning at a 29 percent clip when saddling a horse switching from sprint to route, for a return on investment of $3.25 

With (very) uncertain weather in south Florida this weekend, I thought it would be best to avoid the grass races for the opening-day card of Gulfstream Park's championship meet. Every pick three on the program featured at least one turf race, so here's a look at a mid-card daily double:

Race 6

Let’s try at pick three at Los Alamitos on Saturday afternoon. The main goal is to beat two short-priced runners.

In the sixth race, Bob Baffert drops MAGIC MOON (#8 – 9-5 ML) all the way down to the $20,000 maiden-claiming level. Perhaps the gelding is too good for these, but it appears Baffert has given up. I don’t want to find out at a short price that this one can’t run at all.

The fields aren’t big but taking a stand with a couple claimers later on Sunday’s card a Los Alamitos give a late pick three (races 6-8) some appeal.

Race 6

MUDGE (#2) isn’t just 2 for 2 here, but the wins were dominant. She comes here sharp after dueling and staying on to be a good third in a race just like this at Del Mar on Nov. 12. So she’s in good form and moves to her favorite place.

Race 7 is a competitive sprint for entry-level New York-breds with a full field of 12. SECURED POSITION (#10) tried turf to no avail this summer and now returns to dirt with back form to build upon. Despite being sent off at a big price, he was a strong winner over the talented Good Luck Gus in his career debut, and he backed that race up well while giving game chase to the now multiple graded stakes-placed Super Colossal in his only other start as a 2-year-old.

We are not amused that our key, the long-striding R Girls a Charmer, and the lickity-split speedster and gimmick choice, Dearest reversed their anticipated roles in last week’s Pick, but in the end though our key was cooked she held on to finish a good second to Dearest, who paid $11 and headed up the $55 BreezeFigs exacta.  Later on the same card Hear You Me paid $21 kicking off another BreezeFigs exacta at $96.