By Joe Quillen
Friday 3/15/24 – Gulfstream Park Race 5
We head back to Gulfstream after a successful to Oaklawn yesterday for Pi Day, and today, the Ides of March, we look towards getting another winner out there for everyone. This is a little bit of an earlier race today, as we will look at the fifth race on the Gulfstream card. We have ten three-year-old fillies who will run seven furlongs on the dirt here. Post time for this race is approximately 3:10 pm Eastern time.
Favored in this race is the 6 Amor Fati (5/2 morning line) who was very fast and very impressive in her debut. She did look a little green to me in the stretch, but she won this race very easily. Don’t be surprised if she duplicates the performance today with some of the big sophomore filly races later in the year.
Amor Fati may be all alone on the lead here, but a candidate to challenge for the lead is the 8 Mystifying (8/1 ML). She won her debut two months ago. She did not have the lead at the start, but she was quickly at the front of the field down the backstretch and held on to win. The weather was changing that day at Gulfstream, so there may have been more moisture in the track than you would think when you look at the program.
The 5 Hot Beach (3/1 ML) could be a beneficiary of a speed duel if it occurs. She has back class facing stakes company last summer and fall and returns for her first race since late October at Keeneland. She should be ready for this race and could be a major factor.
When I was on the Bleacher Brothers Show on Wednesday night, some handicapping angles came up. One of them is first time Lasix. I’m more of a second time Lasix guy, but Miss Justify (#2, 5/1 ML) is interesting getting Lasix here for the first time today. Todd Pletcher takes over the training duties for this race. There is a dangerous jockey/trainer combo with Irad Ortiz aboard too. Just like the 5, sometimes these fillies that return come back more mature and ready to roll here. She did finish willingly in her last race at Laurel in November.
Also going to throw in the 1 here, Khozall (9/2 ML) who won on the lead in an optional claimer. Will she be forced to go to the lead with the rail position here or will she try to stalk like she did previously? Only one way to find out, right?
In the end, I think Amor Fati is the real deal here and is going to be tough to beat here. I’ll call this 6-2-5-1, and my play is $20 to win on the 6. Good luck everyone!
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