Gulfstream Park Picks & Predictions — July 13, 2026
It's a hot Monday afternoon at Gulfstream Park — 90 degrees under partly cloudy skies — and the racing office has put together a nine-race card that splits almost evenly between turf and dirt. Five of today's nine races go on the grass, which means surface selection and turf course positioning are going to matter from the jump.
The heat is a factor worth noting, especially for horses running longer distances. Gulfstream's turf course has been a key variable all summer, and today's conditions — warm but not oppressive with some cloud cover — should produce fair, consistent footing. That's good news for turf routers looking to run their best numbers.
We've got three free previews to get you started, covering the first three races on the card. If you want the full nine-race breakdown including the late-card turf maiden and that juicy-looking claiming sprint in Race 8, that's where our premium analysis comes in.
Best Bets
Race 1
Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Turf
A wide-open maiden claimer on the turf where TrackWiz ratings reveal a massive gap at the top — but a pair of double-digit morning-line prices could make the exotics very juicy.
Come On Poppi carries the field's highest TrackWiz rating by a country mile at 87.81, a full 15 points clear of the next contender. Trained by Victor Barboza, Jr. and piloted by Diego A. Herrera, this filly has an average speed figure of 54 in a field where most rivals are clustered around 52-54 — not a huge edge on raw speed alone, but the composite rating tells the real story. The morning line of 5/2 is fair given the dominance of the number, and we'd be surprised if she drifts much beyond that. Bet accordingly.
Khozy Me Up (10/1 on the morning line) is a sneaky interesting play underneath at a price. Jonathan Ocasio gets the call for trainer Amzadali Jehaludi, and the horse carries a 72.63 TrackWiz rating — third-best in the field — with an average speed of 55, which actually leads the entire race. That combination of solid rating and field-best speed makes Khozy Me Up a legitimate place contender that could pay well at 10/1.
Terrimendous at 5/1 is the third-rated horse in this field with a 62.37 TrackWiz score and an average speed of 56 — tied for the field's best. Ronald Coy trains and Pedro Pena rides, a workmanlike combination that can get the job done at this level. In a maiden claimer on the turf, the improved speed figure gives Terrimendous a realistic shot at hitting the board.
Race 2
Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt
Mary Marguerite dominates the ratings in this one-mile dirt claimer, but Cuddle the Kitten's 40% career win rate creates an undeniable tension at the top of the wagering.
Mary Marguerite is the clear top pick here, carrying an 87.14 TrackWiz rating that stands well above the field while posting a 22% career win rate — the highest among our top contenders. Jesus M. Rios has the call for trainer David Fawkes, and while the morning line of 2/1 suggests the public agrees she's the one to beat, the rating edge is substantial enough that she should be your key in exactas and trifectas as well. On a one-mile dirt route, class and consistency matter, and Mary Marguerite checks both boxes.
Terrie T is the value angle in this spot at 10/1 on the morning line, boasting a 76.88 TrackWiz rating that slots in solidly second. The horse carries an 11% career win rate and posts an average speed of 53 matching several rivals, but the rating edge over the rest of the field — outside of our top two — is clear. Edwin Gonzalez aboard for trainer Brian R. Lusk; if Mary Marguerite falters or gets caught in traffic, Terrie T is positioned to collect a place check.
Cuddle the Kitten's 40% career win rate is the most eye-catching number on the entire race card, and at 5/2 on the morning line, Miguel Angel Vasquez and trainer Jeffery Scott Jones have a legitimate runner. The 70.00 TrackWiz rating lands third in the field, and horses who win that often don't tend to disappear on the board. Factor her in your show plays and as a legitimate exacta threat.
Race 3
Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Dirt
Five furlongs on the dirt for maiden claimers, and the morning-line favorite (Facet at 9/5) is not the TrackWiz top-rated horse — creating a genuine overlay opportunity in the win pool.
Nenas Star is our top pick at 8/1 morning line despite owning the field's highest TrackWiz rating at 79.79 — a significant number in a field where the favorite checks in at just 43.83. Edgar Perez rides for trainer Juan D. Arias, and with an average speed of 55, Nenas Star has the foot to compete at five furlongs. At 8/1, this is a clear overlay — the ratings say she's the best horse in the race, and the public hasn't caught on yet.
Our Perfect Amanda holds the second-best rating in the field at 71.84 and pairs that with an average speed of 56 — the joint-best in the race. Micah J. Husbands rides for Ronald Coy, a sharp trainer who is no stranger to winning at this level. The 7/2 morning line is fair, and this filly looks like a solid place play to pair with Nenas Star in the exacta.
Starship Spectacle (4/1) rounds out our ticket with a 54.17 TrackWiz rating and an average speed of 54. Trainer Steven Dwoskin sends Jose E. Morelos to the irons, and in a maiden claimer sprint this short, pace and position matter enormously. Starship Spectacle projects well enough to be in the mix at the top of the stretch and represents a reasonable show/exotics anchor.
Our free coverage today kicks off on the Gulfstream turf with Come On Poppi in Race 1, a maiden claimer going one mile on grass — a distance that rewards tactical horses who can settle early and kick late. From there we shift to the main track for Race 2, where Mary Marguerite is our top choice at a fair 2/1 morning line in a one-mile dirt claimer. She's the most straightforward play on the free card. Race 3 brings us back to the dirt for a five-furlong maiden claimer, and Nenas Star at 8/1 is the kind of price that makes this race worth a look — don't sleep on the value just because she opens as a longshot.
The common thread across these three free races is pace. All three set up as contests where early positioning will be critical — whether it's the turf mile in Race 1 or the sprint in Race 3. Horses that can get clean trips and avoid early traffic trouble have a built-in edge today.
Full Card Analysis
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Bottom line: Come On Poppi on the turf to open the card, Mary Marguerite as the clearest win bet of the free races, and Nenas Star as a live price worth sprinkling in Race 3. The real meat of the card — including Elenique and Wine Candy — is in the premium analysis. Unlock the full breakdown at TrackWiz and make the most of your Monday at Gulfstream. See you at the windows. Good luck out there.