Claiming Crown spot plays for Gulfstream Park Dec. 4

A total of nine stakes races will headline a blockbuster Claiming Crown card at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. The day that features blue-collar runners offers total purses of more than $800,000, and a bevy of competitive betting events as well.

Race 4 - Distaff Dash S.

An overflow field of 14 is entered for the five-furlong grassy tilt. #6 Beantown Baby sports a 10-6-2-2 lifetime line on the green and is a must use for Arnaud Delacour. The Artie Schiller five-year-old has never run on the Gulfstream carpet but she is versatile and comes in fresh with solid morning moves as of late. Mychel Sanchez will be up.

Race 6 - Tiara S.

The affair for fillies and mares will be contested at 1 1/16 miles on the sod. I love the current form of Mike Maker’s #9 Whimsical Muse and will tab her for success in the tilt. The Oxbow five-year-old mare has been first or second in three straight, and she has also finished runner-up in both career attempts at the distance. The Kentucky-bred has looked good since stretching out from sprint affairs.

Race 9 - Rapid Transit S.

The seven-furlong contest attracted 11 in a well-matched field. #8 Miles Ahead took the Smile Sprint (G3) on the surface in July and is clearly the one to beat for Kelly Breen. The four-year-old gelding is a seven-time winner at Gulfstream Park, and he put in a very good prep for this race last time out.

Elizabeth Dobles’ #5 Pudding has faced some solid foes this season and looks like a great fit in the field to me. The six-year-old gelding has won or placed in 20 of 29 lifetime performances, with a 7-3-1-1 local line among those outings. The stalker will be well positioned at the top of the stretch at a decent price beneath Leonel Reyes.

Race 10 - Jewel S.

The $125,000 feature boasts a fine field of 10 in a good rendition of the event. #3 Girolamo’s Attack has taken his last three races on the surface, all in sharp fashion, and he has never been better leading up to Saturday. The Saffie Joseph pupil received a nice post slot to save ground while forwardly placed throughout the nine-furlong test. Edgard Zayas has the assignment.