By Jim Freer
Gulfstream Park’s Saturday card has four stakes races, with the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man as the tenth and feature race.
First post is 12:00 p.m. for the eleven-race card.
All four stakes are for 3-year-olds—with the Mucho Macho Man and Dania Beach for males, and the Old Hat and Ginger Brew for fillies.
The Mucho Macho Man is a one-turn dirt mile. It is ungraded, but annually captures considerable local and national attention because many trainers and owners treat it as a first possible step to the Florida Derby (Grade 1) at Gulfstream and to the Triple Crown series.
The 2017 Florida Derby will be on April 1.
This year’s Mucho Macho Man drew eleven entrants. Hensworth, Sonic Mule and Recruiting Ready are among likely favorites.
Conditions are listed as fast and firm.
At 9:50 a.m., skies were clear at Gulfstream in Hallandale Beach, Fla. However, the Weather Channel forecast is for a chance of thunderstorms ranging between 35 percent to 50 percent from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
We will be at Gulfstream, covering on our blog. At approximately 3:00 p.m., we will have a preview of the Mucho Mucho Man.
*The $100,000 Old Hat (Grade 3) is six furlongs on dirt for three-year-old fillies. It is the third race with scheduled post of 1:00 p.m.
Bode’s Dream will be heavily favored and considered a “lock” by many bettors.
She has won all three of her starts, including two stakes races. John Velazquez will ride for Todd Pletcher.
*The $100,000 Dania Beach is 7 ½ furlongs on turf for three-year-olds. It is the fourth race. Scheduled post is 1:30 p.m.
Recent stakes winners Squadron, trained by Pletcher, and Kitten’s Cat, trained by Joe Sharp, head the nine-horse field.
*The $100,000 Ginger Brew is 7 ½ furlongs on turf for three-year-old fillies. It is the ninth race with scheduled post of 4:03 p.m.
The race has 13 entrants. Recent stakes winners Conquest Vivi and Party Boat are among likely favorites.
