Play Horse for Course with Sunshine Millions Classic betting
Racebook betting: Delightful Kiss has the look of a Grade 1 horse
- WHO: Thoroughbred Delightful Kiss
- WHAT: Sunshine Millions Classic
- WHERE: Gulfstream Park
- WHEN: Saturday, January 24
Saturday’s $1 million Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park has attracted an interesting group of contenders from around the country. There are no millionaires in this 12-horse field, and it’s the exception rather than the rule when one of these runners cracks 100 on the Beyer scale. Perhaps the winner of this race will be considered among racing’s elite as 2009 unfolds.
#12-Delightful Kiss has the look of a Grade 1 horse, and he’s my pick to win with Sunshine Millions betting odds of 5-2 or better. Delightful Kiss won his prep for this event (the Grade 3 Hal’s Hope Handicap) with authority and wasn’t at the peak of fitness for that contest. He’s now 2-for-2 at Gulfstream Park, and the 1 1/8th mile distance of the Classic is right up his alley. Granted, he’s breaking from post 12, which is extremely difficult given the short run to the turn, but Delightful Kiss is a deep closer, and will tuck in behind horses early.
There’s legitimate speed in the race with #1-Finallymadeit breaking from the rail, and several pressing types will keep him honest. That should set things up for Delightful Kiss’ powerful stretch punch, making him your best option for Sunshine Millions betting.
If you’re looking for several horses to use underneath in exactas, tri’s and super’s, you could start with another horse-for-course, #9-Hey Byrn. This 4YO Eddie Plesa trainee was on the Triple Crown trail last year and sports a record of 5-4-0-0 at Gulfstream Park. He should settle into a stalking trip behind the rail horse and could prove tough to catch if he clears by daylight at the top of the stretch.
Another candidate for the exotics is #3-Macho Again. He won the 1 1/8th-mile Jim Dandy (G2) at The Spa last summer and does his best running on the dirt. He can be excused for his most recent performance, a dull 6th-place finish on the Fair Grounds sod, and has shown on several occasions that he can rebound nicely from a bad outing.
I would also recommend using #8-Atoned underneath in the exotics. The Todd Pletcher trainee has been training forwardly since his October victory in The Pegasus (G3) at The Meadowlands and he’s finished second in 7-of-15 starts.
I’ll bet #12-Delightful Kiss to win and box #3-Macho Again, #8-Atoned and #9-Hey Byrn underneath in exactas and trifectas. From the standpoint of horse racing handicapping, these horses figure to run well. They may not offer huge value in the exotics, but sometimes you have to take what you can get from a race. Good luck and happy gambling!
For results on online betting, check out Pete Mitchell’s column on Monday.
Pete Mitchell has been handicapping horses since his teenage years. He has been a professional horse player for many years, and came to BetOnline.com’s attention through multiple referrals from industry insiders/sportsbook owners. Pete is revered for his horse handicapping opinion and industry experts acknowledge his impressive career winning record. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
