Louie’s Look Ahead – Pegasus Day 2024
Back at it today, and we head to Hallendale Beach for a nice day of racing at Gulfstream Park.
They’re doing several guaranteed pools down there today, all of which I assume they’ll blow straight past: $750,000 each in the late Pick 5 and late Pick 4; and $350,000 in the late pick 3. If you’ve read this before, you know your boy loves a pick 3, so we’ll concentrate on that here.
Gulfstream Park – Pegasus Day
Race 11 G3 Fred Hooper 4YO+up. 1M, dirt. $150,000 purse.
1 Hejazi is shipping in from SoCal for trainer Bob Baffert, and jockey Flavien Prat makes the trip, as well. He’ll be the favorite, as much because of the connections as anything else. He’s one of the horses in the late sequence (Pick 6 and later) that you’ll have to beat if you’re going to make a nice score today. I think he’s eminently beatable, and that 8 Accretive is the most likely upset candidate: i’ll draw a line through a muddy Cigar Mile, and assume at some point he’ll make a breakthrough in a graded stakes. Make it this one. Could 3 Steal Sunshine keep the speed figures at this level? If he does, he can win here today.
Top Selections: 8, 1, 3.
Race 12 G1 PWC Turf Invitational. 1 ⅛ miles, turf. 4+up. $1,000,000.
I do think the favorite here is a worthy one in this field – 9 Warm Heart has a Group 1 resume in Europe, and recently ran against the best at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. Could the travel catch up with her? Perhaps. But if it doesn’t, she’s the best in this group.
Is this 3 Integration’s coming out party? They’ve slowly brought this 4YO along, and he’s 3-for-3 in his starts, including two wins in graded stakes. While this is an obvious step up, he’s more than capable of winning in this company. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione has spent a ton of time at Gulfstream, and should give him every opportunity to win.
How is 5 Webslinger 15/1? He’s a millionaire that has been running against some of the best as of late, and has come up just short. Can local star jockey Edgard Zayas get him to the line? I wouldn’t bet against him to at least hit the board.
Top Selections: 9, 3, 5.
Race 13 G1 PWC Invitational. 1 ⅛ miles, dirt. 4+up. $3,000,000.
The big one on the card today – and while not all of the stars are here – this should turn out to be a great betting race.
I landed on 12 Skippylongstocking, despite the outside post. I think there’s a touch of a giveaway that Tyler is riding Skippy and not 2 O’Connor; if Tyler can work out a trip, I think he’s a horse that loves the track and distance.
8 First Mission is a nose away from likely being a 2/1 ML favorite in this one. Jockey Luis Saez is off to a solid start in the Championship Meet at GP, and should give him every opportunity to win here.
Could 7 National Treasure get the lead and simply never look back? I mean, maaayyybe, but I doubt it in this company. What he was able to do in the Preakness nearly never happens. I’ll leave him out – probably against my best judgment.
One I like for minor placings: 1 Nimitz Class is a solid Place-Show type of bet today. I think he’ll get a piece today.
Top Selections: 12, 8, 1.
Our Pick 3 Ticket at GP, starting Race 11: 1,8 / 3,9 / 2,3,8,12. $1 base = $16.
