Handicapping Articles

Happy Louisiana Derby Day! Fair Grounds takes the stage today with seven stakes races headlined by the Louisiana Derby and Fair Ground Oaks, both of which award 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks/Derby points. The top two finishers in both of these races will earn enough points to make the Kentucky Oaks/Derby fields respectively. Trivia Question: Surprisingly, only two winners of Louisiana Derby have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby – who was the most recent? Race 11 – The Fair Grounds Oaks – Grade II One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt for Three Year Old Fillies 1. Miss Metoyer: Demolished optional claimers at Delta Downs last month…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/21/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 8   Race overview A wildly deep and competitive OC/N1X for fm4up at 1-mile on turf.   Pace It’s a full field, with more than a couple who want to be close early, so it seems honest, at the very least. Trends The turf has played a lot more fair in the last month, as it’s not the paved highway it was earlier in the meet, though being close is always going to be preferred. Best Play #11 LA CANTERA (4-1) (turf only): Stalker was a good 2nd to a potential Brown buzzsaw…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/20/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 9   Race overview A competitive OC/SAL for 3yos at 5 ½ Fs on Tapeta.   Pace There’s actually not much here—for a Tapeta sprint—so at the very least, you better be able to lay close early. Trends Speed can be lethal sprinting on Tapeta, so at the very least, you need to be close, as races are rarely won from the back. Best Play #7 COPERNIUM (8-5): Pace player came back off a six-month layoff, tried Tapeta, and won for fun, now goes off-the-claim for David, a wild 31% angle, drew perfectly,…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/19/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 6   Race overview A solid 35k MCL for fm3up at 5Fs on Tapeta.   Pace It looks honest on paper, and with three first-time starters entered as well, they should be motoring up front. Trends Speed can be lethal sprinting on Tapeta, so at the very least, you need to be close, as races are rarely won from the back. Best Play #3 JUST SILVIA (9-5): Stalker sprinted on Tapeta for the first time and was a 2nd neck, and likely wins if she wasn’t guided towards the rail in the stretch,…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                   Date 3/15/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 9 Race overview A solid AOC/N2X for fm4up going 7 ½ furlongs on the turf. Pace There’s seemingly plenty on paper, so a hint of rating gear seems an asset. Trends The turf has played a lot more fair in the last month, as it’s not the paved highway it was earlier in the meet, though being close is always going to be preferred. Best Play #5 MALLEYMOO (9-5) (turf only): Versatile sort was a game 2nd in an Aqu turf stakes two-back before she didn’t like Tapeta last time, so…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/14/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 6   Race overview A deep and competitive 10k claimer for 4up at 5 ½ Fs on Tapeta.   Pace There’s plenty here, as more than a few want to be involved and/or close early, so having a stalking gear will come in handy. Trends Speed can be lethal sprinting on Tapeta, so at the very least, you need to be close, as races are rarely won from the back. Best Play #8 INCHON (4-1): Veteran cuts back after dueling going long in his first for Casse and at GP, drew perfectly, will…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/13/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 6   Race overview A deep and competitive 35k claimer for 4up at 1-mile.   Pace There’s very little here on paper, so expect a tight group to the far turn, in a race that will turn into a sprint from there. Trends Speed is always going to play on the main track, especially at this one-turn mile where fields can be strung out on the far turn, so having the ability to lay close is important. Best Play #7 SPEAK EASY (2-1): Tactical sort exits a race where the top-3 all came…

“PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau Date 3/12/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 2   Race overview A solid 17.5k N2L for 4up at 1 1/16 miles on turf (rails at 73’).   Pace There’s very little here to prevent #6 BAY OF BENGAL (3-1) from making the front and taking them all the way on the lead. Trends The turf has played a lot more fair in the last month, as it’s not the paved highway it was earlier in the meet, though being close is always going to be preferred. Best Play #6 BAY OF BENGAL (3-1) (turf only): The speed added blinkers and…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                   Date 3/6/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 3 Race overview a relatively modest 25k MCL for 3yo fillies at 5Fs on Tapeta. Pace It doesn’t look overly heated, which means the fresh and classy speed of 8 STRET SUE (2-1) should be tough. Trends You need to be close in Tapeta sprints, as races are won up front, and rarely fall apart in the lane. Best Play #8 STREET SUE (2-1): MSW dropper hasn’t been out since July when she was facing tons better in NY, has really ramped it up in the AM in her last two…

  “PLAY of the DAY” by Brian Nadeau                   Date 3/5/26 Featured track Gulfstream Park Race number 3   Race overview A solid OC/SAL for 3yo fillies on the turf at 1-mile (rails at 73’).   Pace It doesn’t look overly heated, which says you should want to be close early, as per usual on the turf. Trends The turf was as fair as it’s been all meet last week, though speed is never a bad thing on the turf at all. Best Play #3 BINT MISCHIEF (2-1) (turf only): Tactical sort routed on turf OTC for Cibelli and romped, meets a modest group on the rise where…