Gulfstream Park Picks & Predictions — August 23, 2026

Denver's Alley is the morning-line favorite at 9/5 with a solid rating of 74.99 and a 57 average speed figure matching the top two in the field. Trainer Michael Lerman sends Diego A. Herrera out, and a 20% career win rate is respectable in a claiming field. The concern is whether the favorite price is justified when Boot's On the Moon holds a significant ratings edge — Denver's Alley may be best used underneath in exacta and trifecta wagers.

Bad Gal Party brings the field's best career win percentage at 27%, and a 61.43 rating with a 57 average speed figure makes her a legitimate threat in the bottom half of exotics. Trainer David Fawkes has a live runner here at 2/1 on the morning line, and Samy Camacho is a capable pilot. She's priced too short for outright longshot value, but her track record and speed back her as a reliable show play.

Zolene comes in as the 2/1 morning-line favorite with a 72.51 rating and the field's best average speed figure tied at 57. Trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo has Yolber Torres aboard, and a 25% career win rate adds credibility. She's a legitimate contender and the public favorite for a reason, but at those odds, she's better deployed as a place play or underneath Tie It With a Bow in exactas.

Hope Town Girl is the standout stat story in this race — a 50% career win rate is extraordinary and suggests a horse that rarely runs without competing. Her TrackWiz rating of 71.33 is third-best in the field, and trainer Sebastian Pulgarin keeps Pedro Pena in the irons. At 9/2 on the morning line, she's worth including in trifecta combinations as a tough-to-beat show contender.

Decisive Maiara at 8/1 on the morning line is the value play in the place spot, carrying a 62.67 rating and an average speed figure of 53 for trainer Joseph C. Catanese III. Miguel Angel Vasquez gets the call, which is a meaningful upgrade — he's one of the sharper jockeys in this field. In a wide-open maiden race, horses with capable riders and a legitimate rating tend to run into the money more often than their price suggests.

Dilly Dally draws the 7/2 morning line and a 55.83 TrackWiz rating, which puts her third in the field on our numbers. Trainer J. David Braddy books Pedro Pena, and an average speed figure of 54 keeps her competitive on raw ability. She's the 'chalk' show play here — priced to suggest public confidence but not quite with the top tier, making her a sensible anchor in trifecta tickets.

Golden Valley at 2/1 is a solid play on her own merits — a 81.91 rating, a 26% career win rate, and trainer Armando De La Cerda sending Edwin Gonzalez up for a quality look. She trails only Sweetcity on our ratings and represents the logical second in the exacta. If the pace gets hot early, Golden Valley's stalking style could let her run past a tired favorite.

Dominant Diva is trained by Saffie A. Joseph Jr., the same barn sending out Sweetcity — and while she's the 6/1 second string, a 70.22 rating and a 22% career win rate make her dangerous. Diego A. Herrera handles the riding duties, and on a 6-furlong track, a horse with her ability can certainly pick up pieces if the barn's top choice leads them all into a fast pace. Worth including in trifectas at the price.

Catalonia at 5/2 pairs the field's top average speed figure of 58 with a solid rating of 77.81, and Leonel Reyes gets the assignment for trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo. A 12% career win rate might look modest, but in tighter allowance fields, this horse has clearly been running against quality — and speed figures don't lie. She's the natural backup to Corbet's Crush in both exactas and place tickets.

Modern Beauty profiles as an intriguing show play at 6/1 — her 33% career win rate is the best in the field, and her 71.6 rating and average speed figure of 57 keep her in the conversation on pure ability. Trainer Victor Barboza Jr. has Edgar Perez up, and with a horse that wins at that clip, she has a way of finding the finish line. At 6/1, she adds real return to a trifecta ticket without feeling like a throwaway.

El Orejon brings a 27% career win rate — tied for best in the field — and a rating of 66.27 that puts him comfortably in the top third of this group. Trainer Steve Klesaris has a long record of placing horses well at Gulfstream, and Jose E. Morelos is a steady hand. At 4/1, he's a fair price for a horse with legitimate credentials to hit the board.

Ez Orb Not is the morning-line co-favorite at 5/2 with a 61.68 rating and a career win rate of 16%, and Samy Camacho takes the mount for trainer Joseph F. Orseno. He trails our top pick on ratings by more than 22 points, but his public support and tactical positioning in a pace-heavy sprint make him a reliable show contender. In claiming sprints at 6½ furlongs, horses with Camacho's ability to find a line tend to land in the money.

Vol Du Condor at 7/2 on the morning line has a 55.83 rating and an average speed figure of 54, giving trainer Victor Barboza Jr. a credible second option behind the top choice. Samy Camacho is aboard, and in a turf route where trip luck and pace scenario loom large, a horse with Barboza's conditioning and Camacho's course awareness can absolutely be there at the top of the stretch. He's the logical exacta play against Apache One Six.

Zirzop stands out on one key stat — his average speed figure of 57 is the highest in the field, and a rating of 54.17 keeps him competitive in the mix. Trainer Murat Sancal sends Edgar Perez up at 9/2 on the morning line, and in a maiden turf route where the pace can get scrambled, a horse with raw speed figures this good has a way of finding his way to a check. He's worth including in trifectas.