The Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes – Race 10 at Gulfstream Park – Post Time 4:49 PM Eastern

Top Win Contenders: Choose Joy, Moon Spun, Without Cause

Another contender is Flamingo Way

Choose Joy finished in first or second place in 11 turf sprints over 13 career races. One of those was the Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes in 2024. She didn’t run in the 2025 race as she had been off from July 2024 to October 2025, coming back to win her first race off the layoff. That race in October was scheduled to run on turf but was moved to the all-weather surface. She rallied powerfully, making up fourth lengths in the last eighth. In her next race, on November 30, she finished seventh on all-weather, then she entered the Abundantia Stakes on December 27, where she finished fifth, beaten by under two lengths.

In spite of her two last races, the Ladies’ Turf Sprint Stakes is made to order for Choose Joy’s kick. There are at least three horses that have all been first or second in the first quarter and a half mile in their recent races. Considering that Choose Joy was 9 to 2 when she finished second two years ago in this race, and considering her recent fifth finish, she has nice odds, and she could win or finish second.

Moon Spun has won four of eight races and has been in the money for the rest. She was off for 14 months beginning in October 2024, coming back to win in November 2025. She won the Abundantia, her second race off the layoff, where she went to the front, but lost the lead after a quarter mile. She got the lead again at the half mile and battled with an opponent who flanked her for the final half of the race. She is very game, and although Moon Spun has to run with other “early” horses, Twirling Queen and Without Cause, she has the outside, and that helps her to sit in third early and to win again.

Without Cause comes back from a six-month layoff and, in her last winning start in June, led from start to finish. In her last race in July, she stalked second in the first quarter, led by two lengths at the quarter pole, and was beaten by a head at the finish. Those were her only two in turf sprints in 10 races, but she won in February 2025 at Gulfstream Park, also off a nine-month layoff, so that she can run big first again. She gets John Velazquez riding this time, who has won five times with trainer Mark Casse from his 24 wins at Gulfstream over the last year.

Another horse with a shot is Flamingo Way. She was the second favorite at 2 to 1 in the Abundantia, where she was third at the eighth pole, but she was boxed then found room and finished fourth, a head from the winner. She ran her last race on October 31, where she rallied from eighth place and won powerfully. If there are some fast fractions, Flamingo Way could win.

Handicapper Picks:

Win bets: Choose Joy at odds of 3 to 1 or higher.

Moon Spun at odds of 3 to 1 or higher.

Without Cause at odds of 3 to 1 or higher

Exactas: Box Choose Joy over ALL, and also (the opposite) ALL over Choose Joy

The Robert B. Lewis Stakes – Race 8 at Santa Anita – Post Time 7 PM Eastern

Top Win Contender: Cherokee Nation

Another contender is Intrepido

Trainer Bob Baffert won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes seven straight years. He is likely to win his eighth today. Baffert has three horses – Desert Gate, Plutarch, and Cherokee Nation – who are trying to get this win, but I think Cherokee Nation is more probable than the others.

Before I talk about Cherokee Nation, I want to discuss why I think the other Baffert trainees have issues. Desert Gate was the 4 to 5 favorite in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes (October 4), where he got a one-length lead with the eighth pole, and gave way. Plutarch won his last race (November 30), his fifth career race, on turf, and he finished third in the American Pharoah, where he was second at the eighth pole before he also gave way. Desert Gate’s last race was four months ago. Plutarch raced two months ago, and Cherokee last raced last month.

Cherokee Nation missed by a nose in his second race, a dirt route. Then shipped to Churchill Downs, although a maiden, to run in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. He was the second favorite but had trouble, breaking slowly, steadied in the first turn, then finished fifth. He returned to Santa Anita on January 9 but had trouble when he lost the race at the start. He was fractious and threw his head when the gate opened. He still ran a big race and rallied from five lengths to the pole, coming half a length behind. The winner, Robusta, crawled at pedestrian fractions of 48 and 1:11.2. Cherokee Nation ran 37.6 MPH (using Equibase G.P.S.) for the last quarter mile to the eighth pole, and ran faster, 38.9 MPH in the last eighth pole to the finish, powerfully better than any horse in this field. So, having run only one month ago as compared to Desert Gate, Plutarch, and Intrepido, all coming off layoffs. Cherokee Nation, if he gets out of the gate today, wins.

Intrepido won the American Pharaoh Stakes on October 4, his third race and his second dirt route. He was thought okay by bettors in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at 5 to 1, but he was off last of six and finished fifth. He earned the highest Equibase Speed Figure in the American Pharaoh, the best figure of any horse in the field on dirt. If he can get back to the performance he previously had at Santa Anita, where he earned his best race, and if he runs as he did that race, he has a shot.

Handicapper Picks:

Win bets: Cherokee Nation at odds of 9 to 5 or higher.

Intrepido can be considered at odds of 3 to 1 or higher.

Doubles:

Race 8: Cherokee Nation

Race 9: Mohaven

Race 8: Cherokee Nation, Intrepido

Race 9: Mohaven, Le Ville Lumiere, Your Sincerely

The Sweet Life Stakes – Race 9 at Santa Anita – Post Time 7:30 PM Eastern

Top Win Contender: Mohaven

Other contenders are Le Ville Lumiere, Your Sincerely

Mohaven won two and finished second twice in four races. All four were sprints, and include taking the Golden State Juvenile Stakes on October 31 by four lengths in an 11-horse field. This filly is racing on turf for the first time, but she is bred to run well. Her sire, Yaupon, has five winners in 25 horses, and she is out of a top dam sire, Into Mischief. Jockey Hector Berrios has been aboard every race and has won better than 25% for trainer John Sadler over the past year in over 131 starts. Berrios ran Umbralle to second in an earlier race but chose Mohaven here.

Le Ville Lumiere won both her turf starts at Santa Anita, including the one-mile Blue Norther Stakes on December 29. She also only start in a turf sprint. In the Jimmy Durante Stakes, her previous race on November 29 finished fast from eighth to end third in a dead heat with Your Sincerely. Your Sincerely won on January 11 after the Jimmy Durante which was her first effort in a turf sprint, and she could run another big race.

Handicapper Picks:

Win bets: Mohaven at odds of 2 to 1 or higher.

Le Ville Lumiere, Yours Sincerely are considered at odds of 3 to 1 or higher.

Exactas: Box Mohaven, Le Ville Lumiere, and Your Sincerely

Also, play boxes of Mohaven and Le Ville Lumiere and Mohaven and Your Sincerely