Wednesday Horse Racing Picks & Best Exotic Bets: Handicapping 3 Races from Gulfstream Park (June 24)

The world of thoroughbred horse racing is coming off a fantastic week of action, highlighted by Tiz The Law winning the Belmont Stakes in New York.

We experienced our share of success in our plays, particularly in the multi-race wagers, and hope to continue that trend this week across North America’s tracks.

Our attention turns today to racing down in South Florida at Gulfstream Park, which has a 10-race card of decent races on tap.

Here are the highlighted plays at Gulfstream, along with our multi-race wagers for Indiana Grand and the evening card at Evangeline Downs in Louisiana.

Lets take a look:

GULFSTREAM PARK

Race 5

Time: 2:05 p.m. ET

My top selection is No. 5 Baseline Dive (5-2), who debuts for trainer Chad Brown in this $45,000 Maiden Special Weight event, scheduled for 1 1/6 miles on the turf course.

Jockey Edgard Zayas climbs aboard the morning-line favorite, who has put together a string of solid works getting ready for this race.

I am playing Baseline Drive across the board (Win-Place-Show) and using on top of my exotics with No. 3 Aizu at 4-1 odds. Use No. 2 Raspberry Ballet (12-1), No. 4 Tara (7-2) and No. 6 Mo of the West (5-1) on the back end of your exacta and trifecta wagers.

The bets:

• $5 Win/Place/Show: No. 5 Baseline Drive (5-2)— $15 Ticket
• $4 exacta wager: 3/5 over 2/3/4/5 — $12 Ticket
• $1.50 trifecta wager: 3/5 over 2/3/4/5 over 2/3/4/5/6— $27 Ticket

[Bet now at TVG (available in 31 states!) and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]

Race 7

Time: 3:09 p.m. ET

This is a wide-open $33,000 Claiming event, going a mile on the turf course.

There are five or six horses with a legitimate shot at winning this race, but I have settled on No. 6 Tropicat (4-1) as my top choice.

Trainer Ralph Nicks sends his charge back out at the friendly confines of Gulfstream Park. Tropicat has won four times at the South Florida track after a three-month layoff following a third-place effort. Jockey Angel Arroyo will be in the saddle for Nicks, who has Tropicat primed for a big effort.

Play Tropicat across the board and box him in an exacta with No. 3 Vegas Kitten (10-1), No. 5 Colonist (5-1) and No. 10 Bourbon in May at 9-2 odds. Use Tropicat and Colonist on top of your trifecta with the others underneath the play, along with No. 12 Patriot Drive (5-2), who is the morning-line favorite.

The bets:

• $5 Win/Place/Show: No. 6 Tropicat (4-1) — $15 Ticket
• $2 exacta box wager: 3/5/6/10 — $24 Ticket
• $1.50 trifecta wager: 5/6 over 3/5/6/10 over 3/5/6/10/12— $27 Ticket

[Bet now at TVG (available in 31 states!) and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]

Race 9

Time: 4:13 p.m. ET

I am making No. 1 Sugar Bolt (5-2) my top in this $47,000 Allowance Optional Claiming sprint event, slated for five furlongs on the grass.

Jockey Esimael Jaramillo is going to be forced to move early from the rail position, but trainer David Fawkes has the class of the field with his filly and should be able to work out a perfect trip.

Sugar Bolt finished second in her most recent outing — a claiming event back on May 22 at Gulfstream — and put up an Equibase speed figure of 71 in that effort. She rarely finishes out of the money as well, placing no worse than third in seven of her 10 career starts.

I am playing Sugar Bolt across the board and boxing her in my exacta and trifecta with No. 3 True Heiress (7-2), No. 4 Hera (9-2) and No. 6 Sayonara Baby at 3-1 odds. It is really hard to separate the three contenders behind Sugar Bolt in my handicapping, so hooking them up in those exotic wagers is the smart move.

The bets:

• $7 Win/Place/Show: No. 1 Sugar Bolt (5-2) — $21 Ticket
• $2 exacta box wager: 1/3/4/6 — $24 Ticket
• $1 trifecta box wager: 1/3/4/6 — $24 Ticket

[Bet now at TVG (available in 31 states!) and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]

Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Gulfstream Park

• Daily Double (Races 1 and 2): 1,2,3,6,9 / 1,3,7 ($2 Daily Double = $30 Ticket)
• Daily Double (Races 3 and 4): 1,2,3,4 / 1,5,6,7,9 ($1.50 Daily Double = $30 Ticket)
• Pick 3 (Races 6-7-8): 3,5,6,8 / 3,5,6,10 / 1,4,5,6 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $32 Ticket)

BONUS PLAYS

Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Indiana Grand

• Daily Double (Races 2 and 3): 1,5,6,7 / 3,4,5,7 ($2 Daily Double = $32 Ticket)
• Daily Double (Races 4 and 5): 3,5,7 / 4,5,7,8 ($2.50 Daily Double = $30 Ticket)
• Pick 3 (Races 6-7-8): 2,4,7 / 2,6,8 / 2,5,6 ($1 Pick 3 = $27 Ticket)

Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Evangeline Downs

• Daily Double (Races 2 and 3): 1,2,6 / 3,5,7,8 ($2.50 Daily Double = $30 Ticket)
• Pick 3 (Races 7-8-9): 1,4,6,9 / 2,4,6 / 2,3,4,8,9 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $30 Ticket)

[Bet now at TVG (available in 31 states!) and get your first win-bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]