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Gulfstream Park Picks & Predictions — September 20, 2026

September 20, 20269 racesAll Gulfstream Park picks

Hallandale Beach is looking at a cloudy Sunday with temps hovering around 84°F — warm enough to keep the turf lively and the dirt playing true. Gulfstream Park puts up a nine-race card today that spans maiden claimers, allowance company, and a pair of turf miles that should produce some sharp pace scenarios worth dissecting.

The mix of surfaces today is notable. Three of the nine races head to the grass, and with the turf course expected to be in solid shape, we're watching closely for horses that have been quietly prepping for a turf try. Meanwhile, the dirt runners at five furlongs and a mile give us a nice spread of pace shapes — some front-heavy sprints and a couple of routes that should set up for closers.

We've got three races open to everyone for free, with our full premium breakdown covering all nine. Let's get into it.

Best Bets

Race 1

4:20 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 5 fur · Dirt

A maiden claiming sprint on the dirt where TrackWiz ratings reveal a massive gap at the top — one horse stands head and shoulders above the rest in a field of first-time and lightly-raced runners.

win1Elusive ChaliceML 5/2

Elusive Chalice draws the rail and tops the TrackWiz ratings at 87.81 — that's a significant margin over the second-best horse in the field. The morning line of 5/2 reflects the public's respect, and trainer Joseph F. Orseno knows how to spot a maiden for the right spot. Pedro Pena gets the call and should be able to dictate or press the pace from post one in a five-furlong dash, which is exactly the kind of setup this horse needs to break through.

place5Zaza JML 3/1

Zaza J comes in rated 63.70 and draws post 5 for trainer Saffie A. Joseph, Jr., one of the sharpest conditioners at Gulfstream. The 3/1 morning line suggests she'll be popular, and with an average speed figure of 54, she should be competitive enough to at minimum hit the board. Jockey Micah J. Husbands pairs well with the Joseph barn in short-field sprints.

show7BoltouttatheblueML 5/1

Boltouttatheblue is the speed to watch at 5/1 — posting the field's best average speed figure of 58 makes this one intriguing as a pace presence. Trainer J. Kent Sweezey sends Jose E. Morelos up, and if Boltouttatheblue can get loose on the front end, there's enough here to hang on for a piece. Worth including in your exotics underneath Elusive Chalice.

Race 2

4:55 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

A one-mile dirt claimer with legitimate depth at the top, but two horses separate themselves on the TrackWiz ratings — one comes in with a 20% career win rate and the backing of a top barn, making the pace scenario and class picture worth examining closely.

win2GhostlightML 5/2

Ghostlight earns the top TrackWiz rating of 87.81 and brings a career win percentage of 20% — easily one of the stronger records in this field. Trainer Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. is a consistent performer at Gulfstream and pairs with Micah J. Husbands for this one-mile test. The 5/2 morning line makes Ghostlight the public choice, and the combination of strong ratings, proven winning ability, and a top connections package makes this the most complete horse on the card here.

place6Pretty GeishaML 4/1

Pretty Geisha rates just below the top at 83.94 and gives trainer Garrett W. Arscott a live shot at 4/1. An average speed figure of 53 keeps her in the mix on this mile trip, and Carlos Martinez is a capable hand for a stalker-closer scenario if the pace sets up. The value is real here — four points off Ghostlight's rating but potentially two lengths better on the morning line price.

show4Somerset MiaML 7/2

Somerset Mia sits third in the ratings at 75.33 with a career win rate of 8% and an average speed figure of 52. Trainer Bernardo G. Lopez keeps the horse sharp enough for the board, and at 7/2 on the morning line, she's projected to be well-bet — meaning a show wager could come at a compressed price. Best used underneath in exactas and trifectas.

Race 3

5:30 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

A maiden claiming mile on the turf where the morning-line favorite and the top-rated horse don't match up — creating a potential overlay situation worth exploiting in this tricky grass field.

win3MosaiML 7/2

Mosai tops the TrackWiz ratings at 86.35 despite going off at a juicy 7/2 on the morning line — that's a spot where the ratings and the odds diverge in the bettor's favor. Trainer Victor Barboza, Jr. sends J.G. Torrealba up for a one-mile turf test, and with an average speed figure of 54, Mosai should be comfortable going a route on the grass. The overlay angle is the story here: the ratings say top horse, the morning line says second choice — that's value.

place4ZirzopML 2/1

Zirzop is the morning-line favorite at 2/1 and rates second overall at 75.76, posting the field's best average speed figure of 56 — raw speed matters on turf, and this one has it. Trainer Murat Sancal gets Edwin Gonzalez aboard for the mile trip, and if Zirzop can convert that speed into a clean ground-saving trip, the exacta box with Mosai is the play.

show1Star of the GunML 4/1

Star of the Gun rounds out our ticket at 4/1 and sits third in the ratings at 62.36 with an average speed figure of 53. Trainer Javier Negrete puts Pedro Pena on board, and from the rail the horse could slot into a perfect trailing position on the turf course. In a maiden turf field where anything can happen, this is a reasonable hedge for the third spot in your trifecta.

The first three races on today's card are fully unlocked, and they give you a solid cross-section of what Gulfstream is offering. Elusive Chalice (Race 1, 5/2 morning line) headlines a five-furlong maiden claimer on dirt — our top-rated pick of the free races at 87.81. Two races later, Mosai draws our eye in a maiden claimer on the turf mile at 7/2, the kind of price that can offer real value if the grass form holds up.

Our TrackWiz ratings on the free races cluster tightly in the 86–88 range, which tells us these aren't easy beats — the fields are competitive and the margins are thin. Ghostlight in Race 2 shares Elusive Chalice's 87.81 rating going a flat mile on dirt, so if you're building a multi-race ticket early in the card, those two horses make for a strong foundation. Don't sleep on pace setup in Race 2 — a one-mile dirt route this early in the card at Gulfstream can attract pace-pressers who benefit if the speed collapses.

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Race 4

6:00 PM EDT

Maiden Optional Claiming · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt

The Maiden Optional Claiming at 6.5 furlongs on the dirt features a clear class standout who holds a commanding ratings lead, though a familiar Gulfstream barn lurks underneath and could complicate the single-horse ticket.

win3Lady RockulaML 9/5

Lady Rockula is the standout here — a TrackWiz rating of 88.83 is the highest mark on today's entire card through this point, and trainer Carlos A. David sends a well-prepared runner to the gate. Miguel Angel Vasquez takes the mount at a tight 9/5 morning line, reflecting the public's confidence. With an average speed of 54 and a ratings edge of over 9 points on the second-best horse, this is the most clear-cut win play of the early card.

place6Pan PanML 5/2

Pan Pan comes in rated 78.93 under Saffie A. Joseph, Jr., and this barn is always live at Gulfstream in maiden sprints. The 5/2 morning line makes Pan Pan the second choice, and with Micah J. Husbands up and an average speed of 55 — slightly better than Lady Rockula — there's a pace-pressing scenario here that could end with this one hitting the board. The Joseph barn's Gulfstream win rate makes Pan Pan nearly automatic for exotics.

show2Forgotten AboutML 9/2

Forgotten About fills the third spot in our analysis at 9/2 with a TrackWiz rating of 54.17. An average speed figure of 53 is workable at this distance, and trainer David Fawkes teams with Diego A. Herrera for a runner who could pop at a price if the two top picks beat each other up on the front end. A nice value inclusion in the trifecta underneath the top two.

Race 5

6:33 PM EDT

Starter Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf

Ten horses contest this Starter Optional Claiming mile on the turf, and while career win percentages are all over the map, the TrackWiz ratings point to a clear top contender — though a 25% career winner and a sneaky pace angle from the Tessore barn add layers to this competitive turf route.

win2Hands of TimeML 7/2

Hands of Time sits atop the field with an 85.28 TrackWiz rating and a 25% career win percentage — one of the strongest resumes in the race. Trainer Heather Smullen gets Diego A. Herrera up at 7/2 on the morning line, and this combination has the tools to take down a competitive turf mile. The horse projects as a stalker who can pounce in the stretch, and the rating dominance over most of the field justifies the top selection.

place5OperatnthunderboltML 6/1

Operatnthunderbolt rates second at 82.71 for trainer Bruno Tessore and J.G. Torrealba at 6/1 on the morning line — that's a price worth paying for the second spot. The 7% career win percentage might look modest, but the TrackWiz number tells a different story in terms of overall consistency and competitiveness. Tessore has two horses in this race, which often means the barn is confident about a good performance from one or both.

show4DisattachedML 6/1

Disattached sits third in our ratings at 78.42 for trainer Heather Smullen — she saddles two horses in this spot, which is a notable trainer angle. Samy Camacho gets the mount at 6/1, and a 12% career win rate is solid in a Starter Optional Claiming field. Pairing this one with Hands of Time in the exacta and trifecta is a logical play given the shared barn.

Race 6

7:05 PM EDT

Maiden Special Weight · 6 fur · Dirt

A wide-open Maiden Special Weight sprint on the dirt where ratings are tightly bunched at the top and several runners lack published speed figures — making pace scenario and connections as important as raw numbers in this tricky debut-heavy field.

win4Rose of RiyadhML 5/2

Rose of Riyadh tops the TrackWiz ratings at 57.50 for trainer Tareq Moubarak with Diego A. Herrera up at 5/2 on the morning line. The absence of a published average speed figure suggests limited or no prior racing, making this a projection play — but the rating leads the field and the morning line confirms public confidence. In a tight field like this, the ratings edge at a fair price is enough to put this one on top.

place6ArticulatedML 3/1

Articulated rates 56.67 — just a hair below the top — for the powerful Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. barn with Micah J. Husbands in the irons at 3/1. The Joseph-Husbands combination at Gulfstream with a maiden special weight runner is a live angle regardless of the morning line, and this one figures to run a competitive race. The tight rating gap between the top three makes this a logical place selection and exacta partner.

show1Majestic RulerML 7/2

Majestic Ruler slots in at 55.83 under trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo and jockey Miguel Angel Vasquez at 7/2 on the morning line. D'Angelo also saddles Redbad in this race, but Majestic Ruler's ratings edge and more favorable morning line make this the preferred D'Angelo runner for exotics. A wide-open MSW sprint is exactly the race where spreading across the top-three rated horses in your trifecta pays off.

Race 7

7:40 PM EDT

Claiming · 1 mi · Dirt

The one-mile dirt claimer in Race 7 features a significant ratings gap between the top horse and the morning-line favorite — a classic overlay situation where the public money may be landing on the wrong runner.

win1Action DelightML 5/1

Action Delight rates a field-best 84.17 despite going off at 5/1 on the morning line — a substantial overlay against Roger That Dana, who rates just 51.20 but is listed at 2/1. Trainer Kathleen O'Connell sends Diego A. Herrera aboard for this one-mile test, and a career win rate of 8% in what is likely a modest claiming career doesn't tell the full story that the rating does. When the crowd and the model this clearly disagree, the value case for Action Delight is compelling.

place4Tybee EchoML 6/1

Tybee Echo rates 73.13 with a career win percentage of 11% and an average speed figure of 54 — one of the better figures in the field at this distance. Trainer Jose Francisco D'Angelo keeps Yolber Torres up, and from post 4 this horse should find a clean trip without getting caught in early traffic. At 6/1 on the morning line, there's solid place value here as the second horse in our sequence.

show7TeofimoML 7/2

Teofimo rates 72.47 with an 11% career win rate and an average speed of 54, matching Tybee Echo's profile almost identically — making these two legitimate alternatives for the third slot. Trainer Javier Negrete pairs with Jonathan Ocasio at 7/2, and this one actually projects as a shorter price than Tybee Echo, which makes it valuable for exacta coverage beneath Action Delight. A solid all-around horse to use in trifecta key bets.

Race 8

8:15 PM EDT

Allowance Optional Claiming · 5 fur · Turf

A ten-horse Allowance Optional Claiming sprint on the turf draws a field with wildly varied career win percentages, and one horse carries a jaw-dropping 66% career win rate into a spot where the TrackWiz model also ranks it at the top — a rare alignment of two powerful indicators.

win8Fourth and CentralML 9/2

Fourth and Central is the standout with a TrackWiz rating of 84.90 and a career win percentage of 66% — by far the highest in the field and a number that screams class above this level. Trainer Michael Yates sends Miguel Angel Vasquez up at 9/2 on the morning line, and an average speed figure of 57 is right in line with the field on this 5-furlong turf sprint. When a horse wins two out of three lifetime starts and is rated at the top of the field, it's hard to argue with the top selection.

place2Cruzin ManML 7/2

Cruzin Man rates second at 76.35 with a 17% career win rate and an average speed of 58 — the second-best speed figure in the field. Trainer Rohan G. Crichton sends Leonel Reyes aboard at 7/2 morning line, and this horse's raw speed on a short turf sprint could make it a genuine pacesetter or early presser. If Fourth and Central is forwardly placed, Cruzin Man's presence up front sets up a potential front-running battle that could also result in both hitting the board.

show1Xy SpeedML 4/1

Xy Speed comes in rated 69.20 with a 28% career win rate and the field's top average speed figure of 59 — that speed number is not a typo, and on a 5-furlong turf sprint, early zip matters. Trainer Michael Lerman sends Diego A. Herrera aboard at 4/1, and this horse's combination of high win percentage and blazing speed makes it a real factor from a pace standpoint. The 4/1 price on a 28% career winner with the field's best speed figure is a legitimate value in the show slot.

Race 9

8:56 PM EDT

Maiden Claiming · 1 1/16 mi · Dirt

The finale is a maiden claiming route on the dirt where the morning-line favorite and the top-rated horse diverge — Rudi tops the model at a comfortable 86.59 while going off at 3/1, and a secondary longshot at 8/1 makes the exacta well worth constructing.

win7RudiML 3/1

Rudi earns the top TrackWiz rating of 86.59 and draws trainer Antonio Sano — one of the most accomplished conditioners in South Florida — with Rasheed Hughes up at 3/1 on the morning line. An average speed figure of 52 is competitive for this 1 1/16-mile maiden trip, but it's the rating and the Sano connection that drive the confidence here. Sano consistently develops maiden winners at Gulfstream, and this one is primed to make a big move going long.

place4Dominican PirateML 8/1

Dominican Pirate sits second in the ratings at 79.79 and gets Edwin Gonzalez up for trainer Dalton Lawrence at 8/1 — that's a juicy price on a horse ranked just seven points behind our top selection. An average speed of 52 matches the field standard, and the 8/1 morning line likely understates the horse's competitiveness based on the TrackWiz model. This is the key exacta partner underneath Rudi.

show5Fifteen Hundred RML 4/1

Fifteen Hundred R rates 72.77 with an average speed of 53 — slightly better than Dominican Pirate — for trainer Pedro Garcia, Jr. and jockey Leonel Reyes at 4/1. The ratings position this one firmly in the top three, and the 4/1 price reflects that the public has some respect but is not fully sold. Use this one in trifectas and tri-keys underneath Rudi to round out the card on a solid finishing note.

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Today's Gulfstream card is a grinder's delight — competitive fields, dual surfaces, and a handful of intriguing overlays in the back half of the card. Elusive Chalice, Ghostlight, and Mosai lead our free selections, while Lady Rockula and Action Delight headline what we believe is the most actionable stretch of races on today's slate. Full analysis, pace projections, and exotic plays for all nine races are waiting for subscribers — see you at the windows.

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