Horse Racing picks for Gulfstream Park race track on Friday, January 28: Penelope looks sweet

3:05 pm Gulfstream Park (Race 6) – Blame The Vets 5/1

Race 6 at Gulfstream Park is a $32,000 Maiden Claiming event over an extended mile on the all-weather track and the filly in stall 2, Blame The Vets, can come out on top. This race lacks any real strength in depth but this filly has a pair of good seconds to her name in this grade, both of which were at this course, and she only has to run close to those efforts to figure here.

3:37 pm Gulfstream Park (Race 7) – Sweet Penelope 7/2

Diane Morici’s Sweet Penelope is coming into Race 7 at Gulfstream Park after a convincing 7-length win in a Waiver Claiming contest at Tampa Bay and she can back that up in this $37,000 Starter Allowance under Irad Ortiz Jr. She has been placed on numerous occasions at this track and has a good level of ability, so she should go well after that last-time-out victory.

4:11 pm Gulfstream Park (Race 8) – Hallawallah 5/1

The penultimate race at Gulfstream Park is a $70,000 Handicap over an extended mile, which is an open affair on paper and I like another Irad Ortiz Jr. mount in Hallawallah, who has form figures of 1-2 in handicaps at Gulfstream and looks set to go well again.

Those runs in this grade were of a good standard and in between them was a 4th-placed effort in a Grade 2 behind Ce Ce. If he shows up in that kind of form then everyone else will be playing for places.

4:42 pm Gulfstream Park (Race 9) – Una Luna 10/1

A field of 13 is set to go to post for the 9th and final race at Gulfstream Park on Friday and this is a competitive $36,000 Claiming contest over a mile on the turf. Preference is for the horse drawn in the middle, Una Luna, who is a 6-time winner at this course and should put up another bold showing in the finale.

She is the oldest and most experienced horse in this field and should come on a good amount from a recent 7th at this course in her first start for more than 3 months. I expect her to go close.