Four stakes highlight Saturday’s 11-race card at Gulfstream Park (Photo credit: gulfstreampark.com)
Saturday’s $100,000 Rampart at Gulfstream Park is the first of 37 graded stakes that will be run at the championship meeting, and trainer Marty Wolfson will send out a trio looking to get the job done.
Eight fillies and mares will line up in the Rampart led by Wolfson’s Cali Star (3-1), Curlin’s Princess (12-1) and Best Behavior (5-2).
The Rampart goes off as the third race on the 11-race card that ends with a trio of stakes. The supporting features are the $100,000 South Beach, $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday and the $100,000 El Prado.
Wolfson is pretty good with the ladies, having saddled Grade 1 winners Ask the Moon, Chaposa Springs, Starship Truffles, Jessica is Back, Icon Project and Pampered Princess.
Among his three starters Best Behavior is the most intriguing, having been on the bench since beating optional claimers in July. She is a stakes winner over the Gulfstream Park main track.
“Her last race was a mile and she won easily,” Wolfson said. “I’m not sure she’s 100-percent fit, but she’ll be in front. Coming off the layoff, I think she’ll show a lot of speed.”
I am going to try and beat the Wolfson trio with Legal Laura (8-1) who looks like the value of the race and is coming off a victory in the Millions Distaff Preview in her last outing.
I will have full card reports for both Gulfstream Park and Aqueduct available for Saturday along with my Best Plays Report.
Let’s head out to Gulfstream Park for Saturday’s featured race of the day:
Gulfstream Park Race 3 The Rampart (G3) Post time 1:05 ET
5 Legal Laura 8-1
7 Best Behavior 5-2
1 Cali Star 3-1
6 Danessa Deluxe 4-1
Legal Laura stretches out to a mile here after a good looking win in the Millions Distaff Preview last out at Gulfstream Park West. The Kathleen O’Connell trainee tracked the early pace, came up the rail and drew off smartly to win by 2 ¼ lengths. Her lone try at a mile on dirt came at Monmouth Park in June of 2014 where she ran a game second in the Little Silver in a race washed off the grass. She should get a good tracking trip behind what will be a lively pace and her 8-1 morning line looks more than fair.
Best Behavior is one of three in here sent out by the Martin Wolfson barn. The mare makes her first start since July where she beat second level optional claimers over the main track here. She has racked up a record of 14-5-4-3 over the main track here. She has been working sharply in the mornings for her return for a barn that is 18% winners with runners coming back off a 61-180-day layoff.
Cali Star is also sent out by Wolfson and this gal earned a career top speed figure last out in her first start for the barn. She beat non-winners of two or three in life or a race since May 18, drawing away to win by five lengths. She was stuck at the Alw-2 level with her previous connections but the freshening and barn switch seems to have woken her up.
Wagering:
WIN: Legal Laura to win at 9-2 or better.
EXACTA: 5,7 / 1,5,6,7
TRIFECTA: 5,7 / 1,5,6,7 / 1,2,5,6,7
