Big Stakes Horse Racing - Expert Picks

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along during the week and covers major stakes races on the weekends.

Oaklawn Park opened on Friday for its 56-day meeting, giving us another track to look at as we attempt to pad our bankroll.

It was so frigid in New York on Friday that racing was canceled, and hopefully the sun will come out today, as the temperatures will only be in the low 20’s.

The feature is the $65,000 Evening Attire Handicap, which drew a short field of five. A more appealing stake is the feature at Gulfstream Park, where a solid group of seven sprinters will go to the post in the $100,000 Mr. Prospector Stakes (G3).

Shortly after that race is official, we will head out to Hot Springs for the feature at Oaklawn Park, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. The $50,000 American Beauty Stakes drew a field of ten, with favoritism likely to go either Rated Fiesty or Palanka City.

Aqueduct Race 8 Evening Attire Handicap (3:49 ET)

#2 Barrier Reef

#3 Brilliant Son

#4 Broadway Producer

#5 Barcola

#2 Barrier Reef came back off a 4 ½ month break and earned a career top speed fig beating Alw-2 optional claimers. The colt was winning his third race in four trips on the inner surface. This guy looked like he could be a player along the Triple Crown Trail last year after winning the Whirlaway Stakes but he did not run back to that win in four starts and was put on the shelf. It is a small field here but he should get a sharp enough pace in front of him here and horses coming from off the pace have had more than a fighting chance over the last week on this surface. He should get a perfect trip sitting just off the pace.

#3 Brilliant Son set the early fractions and held on gamely late to finish second in the G3 Queens County going 1 3/16 miles. He cuts back a furlong here after matching his career best speed fig last out. The six year old owns a solid pace profile throughout with good early pace numbers. The cut back in distance figures to suit this guy, who earned his other matching career top numbers at a one turn mile and at 6 ½ furlongs. The McLaughlin barn is having a strong inner meeting and this guy is a logical threat to win here.

Wagering

WIN: #2 to win at 9/5 or better.

EX: 2,3 / 2,3,4

TRI: no play

Gulfstream Park Race 9 Mr. Prospector S. G3 (5:08 ET)

#6 He’s So Chic

#5 Ikigai

#4 Black Seventeen

#1 Kelly’s Landing

#6 He’s So Chic earned the top last out speed fig in a solid runner up finish in the Fall Highweight at the Big A, unable to the catch a gate to wire winner Fabulous Strike. The winner came back to win the G3 Gravesand in his next outing on Dec. 27. If we draw a ling through the sub par effort over poly three back this guy comes in here off three solid efforts.

#5 Ikigai went gate to wire to beat allowance company last out with a career top in a race taken off the turf at Calder. The colt bounced back after having a three race win streak snapped two back with a dull effort in the radar Love Stakes. Three of his four wins have come in races taken off the turf but no doubt this guy is very quick and will be in the mix early.