Horak: How to bet Gulfstream's Sunshine Forever Stakes
A dozen well-matched older turf routers will square off Saturday in Gulfstream Park's $75,000 Sunshine Forever Stakes.
Social Paranoia and Admission Office figure to vie for favoritism, and both are solid trifecta threats, while this also marks the return spot of 2019 Preakness Stakes winner War of Will making his 4-year-old debut in a surface switch.
The pace should be honest and the stretch run could be fast and furious, with the Sunshine Forever Stakes is the ninth race on the card, going to post at 4:59 p.m. ET.
Before covering how to bet it, let's meet the field.
The Favorites
#9 Social Paranoia (3-1) went last to first as my top choice in his Appleton return March 28. Todd Pletcher’s versatile colt is 2-for-2 at Gulfstream Park.
#11 Admission Office (5-2) has been knocking on the door in stakes company, but his late charge keeps falling just short. He drops out of the graded ranks and reunites with his winning rider Joel Rosario.
Value Win Contender
#6 Halladay (4-1) is also conditioned by Todd Pletcher, and he too is 2-for-2 over this track. He exits a sharp local flat mile victory from the outside post and is probably the one to catch under Luis Saez.
Live Longshots
#4 Aquaphobia (10-1) earned improved numbers in both starts since the Mike Maker claim. Irad Ortiz Jr. ends up here, and a stalking trip is expected.
#5 Cullum Road (20-1) almost upset the River City Handicap is his final start of 2019. Ignacia Correas IV has him now, and he runs well fresh.
Remaining Entrants
#1 Just Whistle (8-1) is entered for main track only. He added blinkers and finished second in the Hal’s Hope on March 28.
#2 Sand Dancer (20-1) exits an improved runner-up finish against optional claimers. He is 0-for-8 at Gulfstream.
#3 El Tormenta (12-1) ended up last from the outside post in the Appleton last time. The pace factor clearly does his best work at Woodbine.
#7 Hawkish (10-1) makes his first start in more than seven months. He won the Penn Mile in 2018 but has had trouble staying healthy.
#8 Regally Irish (20-1) weakened to last in the same race Halladay exits. He will probably go better in his second start after a layoff but has never run fast enough to win a race like this.
#10 Highland Sky (15-1) is a marathon specialist cutting back in distance. The 7-year-old gelding used to be good enough to compete with a field like this.
#12 War of Will (10-1) has not raced on turf in quite some time. He removes blinkers and will probably stalk wide. He might need the race and must prove himself versus salty grass foes.
Wagers
#6 to win
Exacta 6/9-11
Exacta 9-11/6
Exacta 6-9-11/4-5
Trifecta 6-9-11/6-9-11/4-5
Superfecta 6-9/6-9-11/all/4-5-6-9-11