Gulfstream Park opened in 1939 and gradually evolved into the most famous racetrack in Florida. The marquee event of the meet is the Grade 1 Florida Derby. The race was first contested in 1952 and today it serves as a major prep race for the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown series. It is not uncommon for horses that fare well in the Florida Derby to perform well in the Kentucky Derby, so handicappers watch this race closely. In 2006, Barbaro won the Florida Derby and went on to capture the Kentucky Derby before being injured in the Preakness and losing his life after a brave battle to survive. Big Brown won in Florida in 2008 and captured the first two legs of the Triple Crown.
Not all horses that fare well at Gulfstream Park do well in Kentucky, however. The 2012 Florida Derby winner, Take Charge Indy, could only manage a disappointing 19th in the Run for the Roses.
Older horses also find a full stakes schedule at Gulfstream Park with the Grade 1 Donn Handicap attracting many competitive horses each year. The Donn was first ran in 1959 but may be most famous for Cigar who was undefeated and won the race twice in 1995 and 1996. Cigar was piloted by Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey who holds the record for Donn wins with six victories.
Gulfstream Park was also very good to female jockey Julie Krone. In 1993, Krone became the first female to win a riding title at Gulfstream with 98 wins. In recent years, Javier Castellano and John Velasquez have topped the jockey standings at Gulfstream. The most successful trainer by far is Todd Pletcher who compiled a nine-year streak atop the standings. Chad Brown has recently emerged as a potential challenger to Pletcher’s throne and bears watching when handicapping this meet.
Something to keep in mind about Gulfstream Park is the Rainbow Six bet which has been known to pay out a whopping seven figures! You can learn more about the Rainbow Six and how to play it at Gulfstream when you create an account at Bet America or at another one of the reviewed online racebooks.
Graded stakes run at Gulfstream Park:
Check this out too: The 2018 Pegasus World Cup, Pegasus World Cup 2019 Betting Preview
Betting Gulfstream Park: Key Handicapping Insights
Gulfstream Park’s position as Florida’s premier racing venue and a critical preparation ground for the Kentucky Derby gives it outsized importance in the annual racing calendar. The track’s winter and spring meets attract top horses from across North America — horses wintering in Florida’s climate, horses being prepared for the Triple Crown, and international runners targeting the Florida Derby and its supporting stakes card. This concentration of quality creates competitive fields that reward thorough preparation and punish casual handicapping.
The Gulfstream turf course is one of the finest in North America and consistently produces reliable form lines that travel well when horses subsequently compete at other major venues. Horses that have shown genuine turf ability at Gulfstream deserve full credit for that form when they move to other major turf tracks, because the surface quality at Gulfstream ensures the form reflects genuine ability rather than surface-specific quirks. The dirt track, while excellent, has historically shown some inside bias patterns that bettors should monitor at the start of each meet before committing to significant exotic wagers. For more on Florida racing, our articles on horse racing tracks in Florida and why horse betting is better in Florida provide broader context. And our guide to understanding track bias covers how to monitor and exploit Gulfstream’s surface patterns.
