COAST TO COAST PICK 5 – Friday, May 9, 2025
By Nick Tammaro | @NTamm1215
LEG 1 – Race 8 Gulfstream Park
The first leg of the Friday Coast to Coast P5 is the 8th at Gulfstream, a competitive allowance event at a mile and a sixteenth on Tapeta. The major players in here have shown plenty of affinity for this surface, with the five runners who’ve tried it amassing a record of 15-9-2-2. Ironically, my eyes are focused on a different runner, #4 MCKELLEN, who is going to the Tapeta for the first time. Trainer Jose D’Angelo was ambitious with this son of McKinzie after he finished 2nd in a N1X back in November at Churchill Downs. He is winless in two subsequent stakes tries but now drops in class and gets Lasix for the first time. D’Angelo is 25% with runners going from dirt to synthetics over the last five years, good for a $3.03 ROI. He should be forwardly placed as well and there’s not an abundance of speed signed up.
As: 1,2,4
Bs: 3,5,6
LEG 2 – Race 3 Santa Anita Park
The competitive first leg of this sequence makes it so that you have to go thin somewhere, and this is exactly the spot. #3 DEALERS SPECIAL is clearly the horse to beat off a blowout win against N2L claimers last time out. The increased speed he showed that day is a weapon, as he can lay close to the pace and pounce late. There is help for him here in the Pick 5 sequence, but he is a lone A. The best alternative is #4 RASTAMAN VIBE, who is in good form at the moment and fits nicely at this class level.
SELECTIONS: 3-4-5
As: 3
Bs: 4,5
LEG 3 – Race 9 Gulfstream Park
This a very tough nightcap where #9 SHACE SLOANE looks to break through for a maiden win in career start #8. He was 4th last time out on the class jump following a claim for 17.5k and ran well to be 4th after making a middle move into a white hot pace. Look for him to improve here second off the claim, especially now that he’s proven he fits well at this class level. Paco Lopez sticks in what should be his final day riding locally with the Monmouth Park meet starting on Saturday.
#4 CORTA FUEGO improved by leaps and bounds second time out when he moved to turf, rallying nicely to be a clear third at 6-1. He’ll be half that price here at third asking for a high percentage barn.
SELECTIONS: 9-4-6
As: 4,9
LEG 4 – Race 5 Santa Anita Park
This leg could be a real separator as #7 BABY KRISTEN looms a major threat to wire the field at a big price. This kind of horse is often a great bet, as her turf form is buried with some bad dirt races, and both grass outings were far better than they look on paper. In the last two in Southern California she was engaged in a fast pace, ad she held sway going 5 panels at Del Mar. Her best distance is likely short of today’s 6 furlong trip, but she has the same pilot aboard who was in the irons when she contested a brutal pace three starts back. He knows how fast she is and will make sure she gets the early advantage.
SELECTIONS: 7-6-3
As: 3,6,7
Bs: 4,5
LEG 5 – Race 7 Santa Anita Park
The payoff leg should be dominated on the front end by #5 RUNAMILEINMYSHOES, who has the right aggressive pilot to get early command. She is in top form at the moment and will control this pace with the rail at 30 feet. If able to moderate things on the front end, she’ll be tough to wear down in the lane.
The biggest threat is #2 SAREEHA, who was no match for stakes company two starts ago, but did bounce back last time out. She will have to elevate her game to beat the top pick, and would likely need substantial pace help.
SELECTIONS: 5-2-7
As: 5
Bs: 2
AAAAA 1,2,4 / 3 / 4,9 / 3,6,7 / 5
