Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Oaklawn Park and Gulfstream Park.
Other international racing tips for Friday:
Geelong
Gold Coast
Sunshine Coast
Wagga
Neil Morrice Tips
Gulfstream Park Best Bets
Race 1 (Maiden Claiming) No10: STARSHIP BUBBA
Trainer: Mike Maker – Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
On second start off the claim for his astute handler, STARSHIP BUBBA brings the best credentials to the table and rates a worthy favourite for the opener. The Freud colt found only Threshold too good over a mile here a month back on his fourth career outing, all of which have been equally spaced. He’s gotten better with each run and is now ready to strike. Wordman left the cash behind when a beaten favourite on second start in March, but for this first run for a new stable, steps up considerably on the distance ladder. Punchline is getting closer with each run and should get into it.
Prediction: 10-3-5
Race 2 (Maiden Claiming) No2: LUCKY AS A SEVEN
Trainer: Wesley Ward – Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
All but two of these juveniles are debuting. That shouldn’t be any kind of handicap to LUCKY AS A SEVEN who figures to be hard to beat from a good post and following some encouraging workouts. The jockey booking for Catching Fish is eye-catching, while at longer odds Highly Noted could bump up exotics dividends coupled with the main pick.
Prediction: 2-4-5
Race 8 (Starter Optional Claiming) No10: JAKARTA
Trainer: Mike Maker – Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr
A mare that knows how to win, JAKARTA has done nothing wrong since joining her trainer and can give likely market leader Dalarna plenty to think about. Interestingly she started favourite on all four of her starts in 2019, winning on three occasions in allowances before taking out an allowance optional claimer on first run for Maker. She’s going to be more streetwise as she stretches out to a mile for the first time. Dalarna is enjoying a bountiful year and completed a hat-trick in a two-month jamboree between mid-January and mid-March before being denied when a shade of odds-on in a class jump a month back. She nevertheless did little wrong and is tried and tested at the distance. In current mood, hat-trick seeker Flowmotion deserves respect and should also go into the mix.
Prediction: 10-1-2
Race 10 (Allowance Optional Claiming) No10: SONG RIVER
Trainer: Mark Casse – Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
SONG RIVER has shown her ability to perform well from a break, as was the case when chasing home Cucina in a warm heat on her first outing of the year. She is a wonderfully consistent performer and gets the vote as the strongest of the three-year-olds. Of the older contingency, Heir Ball and Over Gators need respecting. Heir Ball ran well to place in successive races at this level in the winter and should be sharper for her defeat by Blue Magic in a claimer last month. Over Gators is also a speedy individual that should figure.
Prediction: 10-9-7
Oaklawn Park Best Bets
Race 7 (Stakes) No3: K J’s NOBILITY
Trainer: Cecil Borel – Jockey: Calvin Borel
This richest offering available for horses bred in Arkansas, the $165,000 Breeders’ Championship, can go the way of K J’s NOBILITY who is set to be veteran Cecil Borel’s final runner before handing his licence to assistant Renay Borel. Winner of his last two starts including the $100,000 Nodouble over today’s track and trip in late March, the gelding moves back to two turns and breaks from post 3. His midfield racing style looks perfect for the way the race is set up and can avenge his narrow defeat in the corresponding race 12 months ago. Leading trainer here, Robertino Diodoro, provides the main threat in Hamazing Vision, while Man in the Can should also take home a slice of the pie.
Prediction: 3-4-11
Race 9 (Fantasy Stakes Grade 3) No10: BRITISH IDIOM
Trainer: Brad Cox – Jockey: Javier Castellano
The Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes can see BRITISH IDIOM consolidate her status as the best female of her generation with a victory that should prevent Venetian Harbor taking over that mantle. The pair meet for the first time in the $400,000 feature for three-year-old fillies only which has been made much more competitive by the addition of horses that would have contested the postponed Kentucky Oaks. British Idiom was unbeaten in 2019 and took out the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’, helping her clinch an Eclipse Award. Having finished second in a Grade 2 at Fair Grounds on her only start this year, she returns from another lay-off but her trainer says she’s ready. Cox also has Shedaresthedevil as a contender following her win in the Grade 3 Honeybee here, but Venetian Harbor rates the main threat. She’s been most impressive in two wins at Santa Anita, including the Grade 2 Las Virgenes in early February.
Prediction: 10-2-7
Race 10 (Allowance Optional Claiming) No7: WHOLEHEARTED
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro – Jockey: David Cohen
Leading trainer Diodoro has netted 51 successes at the meet and can take out the nightcap with WHOLEHEARTED. The six-year-old mare delivered on debut for the in-form barn at Will Rogers Downs early last month in which she defied a two-year absence. This will be just a third outing in 27 months for the selection but she is clearly in good heart as she starts to make up for lost time. Spend Spend Spend is a two-times winner in eight starts in California and has never been out of the frame. She has a solid profile to take into this and rates the main threat on first start for Richard Baltas.
Prediction: 7-6-8
