Gulfstream Park Spot Plays for Saturday, June 29

Gulfstream Park on Saturday will run a 14-race extravaganza highlighted by the Princess Rooney (G2) and Smile Sprint Stakes (G3) as part of their Summit of Speed festival. This time of year in south Florida, thunderstorms can pop up at a moment’s notice, so pay attention to the weather forecast as late on Saturday as you can. Race 6 is the Carry Back Stakes for three-year-olds going seven furlongs on the main track. Since the meet began on December 1, there has been a severe speed bias at this distance, so we are going to lean that way. WELL DEFINED (#8) (7-5) just missed in a seven-furlong stakes here last September before returning next out to win the $400,000 In Reality division of the Florida Stallion Stakes by 7 1/2 lengths going two turns. Two starts back, he added blinkers and won the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) going two turns at Tampa Bay Downs before weakening in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) last out. Now, he turns back in distance but has plenty of gate speed and draws outside with the ultra-aggressive Luis Saez in the irons. SEISMIC JOLT (#3) (6-1) broke his maiden here in his dirt debut, then came back and won a restricted stakes going six furlongs. He was wiped out at the start in the Swale Stakes (G3) and went to the sidelines for four months before coming back here with a distant second in fast time. The son of the red-hot Kantharos gets Edgard Zayas, who wins 23 percent riding for David Fawkes. UNION’S DESTINY (#6) (7-2) broke his maiden going seven furlongs here last August but then raced at longer distances being a son of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Union Rags. He chased the pace last out on a sloppy track at Monmouth Park and is training well here for Juan Avila. Exacta: 8 with 3, 6 Race 12 is the Princess Rooney Stakes (G2) for fillies and mares, three-years-old and upward, going seven furlongs on the main track. Last year, STORMY EMBRACE (#6) (4-5) won the Musical Romance Stakes by six lengths at long odds at Gulfstream as a prep for the Princess Rooney. Her form has been erratic since then but she came back and won the Musical Romance Stakes by 10 lengths last out in blazing fast time. She has two of the fastest BRIS Speed ratings in the field and looks primed for a defense of her crown. RAZORBACK LADY (#1) (8-1) is a speedball breaking from post 1 for Patrick Biancone. She was a terrific second two starts back here in the Inside Information Stakes (G2) going this distance before returning a month ago with a good second as the 1-2 favorite against stakes rivals. Julien Leparoux is in for the ride. If there is a pace meltdown, SAGUARO ROW (#4) (5-2) could benefit the most. After trying two turns three times without success, she turned back to six furlongs and won an allowance race at Keeneland. Last out, she won in the slop at Belmont Park, where she rallied wide, and comes in here off series of strong workouts at Fair Hill Training Center. Exacta: 6 with 1, 4 Exacta: 1, 4 with 6 Daily Double: 6 with 3, 4, 6 Race 13 is the Smile Sprint Stakes (G3) for three-year-olds and upward going six furlongs on the main track. CAUTIOUS GIANT (#4) (9-2) could have been claimed for $35,000 three back going this distance. He bounced back and beat optional $40,000 claimers and just missed in a stakes race as the 4-5 favorite. He has enough speed to stalk the pace and should be the first to make his move for his regular rider Emisael Jaramillo. JALEN JOURNEY (#3) (9-5) added blinkers second time out and he promptly broke his maiden by over five lengths. He came right back with a win going seven furlongs against state-bred allowance foes by 4 1/4 lengths before moving up to open allowance foes, who he crushed by 7 1/4 lengths going a mile in very fast time. He is fast, he is fit and he draws in the middle with Luis Saez. ROYAL SQUEEZE (#6) (8-1) was claimed for $25,000 by Elizabeth Dobles and has won four straight races – three allowances and one stakes race. The horse-for-course has won eight times here and Dobles is four-for-10 when she uses Jairo Rendon. PHOTO: Well Defined wins the Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs under jockey Pablo Morales on February 9, 2019 (c) SV Photography