Playing Gulfstream

[OTM Al]

I've always liked playing this track and have done fairly well with it. I expect to be playing it on Saturday. Looking over the first day's results, the dirt results jump out. While it is a small sample of mostly claiming races, no horse that won looks to have been more than about a length and a half off the lead. I remeber the dirt being pretty fair last year to closers versus need to leads and the turf playing pretty fast and allowing for good horses to wire a turf race. While it is only one short card, those things seemed to be reversed, with the turf races looking to run the standard off-the-pace type senario and the dirt races all going to on the pace horses. I don't think there were plans to change the tracks from last year, but any major construction is going to change things...wind pattern, ground moisture, etc. Anyone have any preliminary thoughts on racinging at the Magna Cathedral for this year?

[fmhealth]

Al, just some random thoughts on GP. First day played much like last year, no surprise. You had to be close-up & inside on the dirt, off the pace on the Turf.

Lake, Pletcher & Prado remain EN FUEGO!! They continue to be "must plays" for me. An interesting retro. on PPs. In all races under 1 mile, I would ordinarily dismiss the far outside posts. Could be a mistake. PPs 10 & 11 at these distances actually had the highest winning % (17%). Albeit the sample was very tiny, still they now become spots I'll have to give some serious consideration too. Same phenomena on the Turf where the far outside 12 post posted the highest win %(18%). Once again a very small & probaly unreliable sample. Nevertheless food for thought.

Best of luck!!!!!!!!

[cnollfan]

The outside seems to have the edge on the GP turf so far this year.

[46zilzal]

Al, just some random thoughts on GP. First day played much like last year, no surprise. You had to be close-up & inside on the dirt, off the pace on the Turf.

that sounds JUST like 20 tracks I know

[BIG49010]

I wonder if A.W. Dutrow will do better in South Florida, then R.E. Dutrow?

He had a pretty good meet last year, but before that he was a toss out in Florida for me.

The claiming races are going to be very interesting, with Dutrow, Lake and Catalano all in town, along with many others.:ThmbUp:

[Nickle]

Gulfrstream is too wild and unpredictable. It is a great trap for guys looking for big scores though.

Real pros make very few bets there.

[Valuist]

So far its been about a few people, namely Pletcher and Bridgmohan. Churchill ship ins have also done quite well. Bridgmohan is becoming one of the top riders in the country. He's good on the lead, off the pace, on dirt or turf. He's ridden in Florida, New York, Chicago and Kentucky so all the horseman know him down there. I think he has a big shot at the GP riding title.

[JackS]

Look for the track to return to about the same speed/pace scenerio as the end of last year. This is not written in stone though, and unless major or even minor changes in upkeep have created a different track, normal should eventually prevail.
I'm thinking that with more races and the track surfaces to eventually "burn" in, there shouldn't be any huge differences.
Error or profit to the historical past until you know better.