How to bet the 2023 Gulfstream Park Sprint Stakes

A talented field of seven will travel six furlongs on the dirt in Saturday’s $125,000 Gulfstream Park Sprint S.

#2 Super Ocho (4-1) is the inside speed of the race who will be making his third off the shelf for conditioner Amador Sanchez. The former Chilean, who led to the turn for home in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland in the fall, comes off a facile allowance victory at Delta Downs in his most recent showing and seems poised to run a big one on Saturday.

Super Ocho seems like a nice fit for this surface, and while he is sure to receive some pressure in the early going, I expect him to fend off his fellow pace foes and inch away inside the final furlong. Emisael Jaramillo will be in the stirrups.

Horses coming from off the pace are preferred by me to fill out the vertical exotics. Gallant Bob S. (G2) victor #1 Scaramouche (6-1) has trained in swift fashion in advance of his 2023 debut and the four-year-old will have every chance turning for home with his best effort. He didn’t handle the lawn in his sophomore finale but returns to the dirt and has the running style to sit a fine trip in the tilt. Paco Lopez will take the reins atop the win contender.

The Michael Yates-trained #4 Cajun’s Magic (15-1) rallied late to notch runner-up honors in the Sunshine Millions Sprint off the long absence last time out. The chestnut gelding is a one-run closing type who has recorded six top-two results on the course. He fired a bullet three-eighths on the strip leading up to this endeavor and will be doing his best work inside the final furlong with regular pilot Jesus Rios in the controls.

Bill Mott’s #7 Candy Man Rocket (9-5), winner of the 2022 Sam F. Davis S. (G3), is two-for-two this campaign and could sit a good trip just off of a fast and contested pace under Junior Alvarado. The five-year-old is three-for-three at Gulfstream Park and is lightly raced enough to expect improvement going forward. He smoked a bullet half-mile at Payson Park last week and will be dangerous if he runs to that morning move.

Gulfstream Park Sprint Wagers

• $20 win: #2 Super Ocho ($20)
• $1 trifecta: 2 with 1, 4, 7 with all ($15)
• $2 exacta: key box 2 with 1, 4, 7 ($12)