The Jury: Bets and fades for Jan. 28

The biggest Saturday of the year so far awaits racing fans from coast to coast this weekend, including a star-studded program at Gulfstream (Pegasus World Cup Day) plus Kentucky Derby (G1) prep action at Oaklawn Park (Southwest Day). James Scully, Vance Hanson, and Ashley Anderson offer their best plays on these and more in this week's TwinSpires Jury.

What is your best bet?

James Scully: #1 Proxy (9-2) returned from a freshening with a career-best performance, earning his first stakes win in the Clark (G1) at Churchill Downs in late November, and the five-year-old will continue to build upon the performance in the Pegasus World Cup (G1). He showed his versatility tracking lone speed last time, but Proxy is more than comfortable stalking from midpack and will receive a favorable ground-saving trip behind a projected hot/contested pace in the Pegasus.

Vance Hanson: Adventuring is the deserving favorite in a modest renewal of the La Prevoyante (G3) at Gulfstream, but she seems fairly exposed at this point and is no cinch at 7-5. The regally-bred #2 Personal Best (7-2), on the other hand, remains with upside for Shug McGaughey. I'm willing to forgive her not firing last out in an off-the-turf renewal of the Tropical Park Oaks run over the Tapeta track. Personal Best is 2-for-2 beyond 10 furlongs in her career, including an emphatic N1X allowance score at Aqueduct two back going 1 3/8 miles. Against a suspect field here, she can make a big impact.

Ashley Anderson: In Race 7 on Oaklawn’s Saturday card, #4 Commerce Comet (3-1) has an excellent chance to graduate in a six-furlong maiden special weight. The Steve Asmussen pupil came home second by a head in his debut on Nov. 24 in a $120,000 maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, where he tracked the pace, then dueled with the winner in the stretch and just missed. The Pulpit grandson can top morning line favorite #8 Easy Action (7-5), who posted a 90 Brisnet Speed rating last out when 1 1/2 lengths in second in a $90,000 maiden special weight at Oaklawn in which the winner crossed the wire in 1:11.09, about a half-minute slower than the winning time posted by Invulnerable, who narrowly beat Commerce Comet. The Asmussen trainee can build upon his debut performance in his second career start and with Lasix added for the first time. The addition of hot jockey Cristian Torres (24% winner this meet) also gives hope for improvement.

Who is the horse to fade?

JS: Barber Road (3-1) came up short when making his seasonal bow at odds-on last time, and while the late runner remains eligible to show more off the rallying third, the projected pace scenario does not favor him in Saturday’s ninth race at Oaklawn Park. I give the edge to #7 Call Me Fast, who is bred to appreciate the added ground and exits a troubled effort in which he lost all chance at the break. The frontrunner will take advantage of the lack of early speed entered.

VH: The Pegasus World Cup (G1) has proven a nice retirement party in the past for the likes of Gun Runner and City of Light, less so for champions California Chrome, Accelerate, and Knicks Go. I don't know which of those camps #10 Cyberknife (5-2) will fall into ahead of Saturday's race, but I don't find him a standout in such a congested field. Although one of the fastest and classiest on paper, he drew poorly and is unlikely to offer much in the way of value.

AA: #1 Miles D (3-1) in the one-mile Fred W. Hooper S. (G3), Race 10 at Gulfstream on Saturday. The Curlin five-year-old will get his first start in more than 11 months, and his only race in 2022 resulted in a third-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile Mineshaft (G3), in which he recorded a 93 Brisnet Speed rating. I’ll instead back Saffie Joseph runner #7 Picking Up Pennies (8-1), who has won three straight at today’s distance by a combined 8 3/4 lengths and is eligible to improve in his second start off a layoff. The five-year-old gelding will move up in class here and will get a rider switch to Jose Ortiz, a 26% winner with pacesetter types and a 23% winner with routes.

What else is worth noting?

JS: My colleague, Kellie Reilly, made a case for #9 Decorated Invader (15-1) in this week’s Roundtable, and I’ll echo her sentiments in the Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1). The six-year-old chased a solid pace in the Ft. Lauderdale (G2) after breaking forwardly from the outside, digging in determinedly to finish a respectable second, but Decorated Invader is more comfortable employing stalk-and-pounce tactics. Health issues have derailed the Grade 1 winner for years, but Decorated Invader will make his fifth start since late September and likes Gulfstream’s turf (2-1-1-0). He can be in the mix with further progression.

VH: He won't be anywhere near his 6-1 morning line price, but I prefer #2 Corona Bolt over even-money favorite Arabian Knight among the protagonists in the Southwest (G3) at Oaklawn. Although he hasn't run yet beyond six furlongs, the son of Bolt d'Oro is bred top and bottom to handle the stretch-out just fine, and has the benefit of having an additional start, a romping stakes win in the Sugar Bowl at Fair Grounds.

AA: Four-year-old #7 Gunite (7-5) will make his season debut in the six-furlong King Cotton S. at Oaklawn on Saturday. The Gun Runner colt went 4-for-7 last year, with all four of his victories coming at 6 1/2 furlongs or seven. He’ll cut back to six furlongs here after finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) in November. While he posted five straight triple-digit Brisnet Speed figures in his last five races, I think he can be beaten by the second choice on the morning line, #3 Flash of Mischief (9-5), who comes off a 7 3/4-length win in the Ring The Bell S. at Oaklawn, where he recorded a 97 Brisnet Speed figure over a sloppy track. Three back, he flashed a 110 Speed figure at today’s distance in the David M. Vance S., good for the fastest dirt speed figure among the field. With rain in the forecast, Flash of Mischief may get another sloppy track to run over, and could spring a slight upset of Asmussen’s highly touted colt.